Roots and Petals: A Collection of Lore Olympus Inspired One Shots
by Goldielochs
Summary: Based off the overwhelmingly charming and beautiful comic Lore Olympus: A Modern Retelling of the Taking of Persephone. These are a collection of one shots and scenes I have bouncing around in my head. From Minthe getting just desserts, to cute snuggles in Hades mansion. . . Enjoy!
1. Minthe Toothpaste

AN: I haven't done much writing recently. Life. Ya know how it is.

But I have gotten massively obsessed with the Webtoon comic Lore Olympus: a modern retelling of the taking of Persephone by Rachel Smythe.

It inspired me so much. If you haven't read it, you need to. ASAP.

I have since written a short collection of one shots for LO. I wanted them to live somewhere other than my google docs.

Enjoy.

* * *

 **Minthe Toothpaste**

(CW: swears and mention of torture and death)

* * *

"Are you coming tonight?" Persephone asked through a mouth full of toothpaste, a sudsy toothbrush in hand. "To the party? You know-" She paused to gurgle a fist full of water. "Blach. Toothpaste is terrible, they need to add something to it." She dried her hands and came over to lean over the couch Artemis was draped on. "You know, we could take you. I could ask him to drive one of his larger vehicles."

Artemis winced and flipped through a magazine. "No. I've gotta work tonight. You kids have fun." She shot a glance at Persephone who completely missed it.

"But you work every night." Persephone pouted.

"Yeah, well, it's kind of an everynight thing." Artemis sighed and slapped the magazine down on the coffee table. She reached back and rubbed Persephone's arm. "It's the best excuse in the three worlds." Her grip on her arm firmed. "Besides, I didn't think you were going tonight." Artemis's eyes asked a question that her words didn't.

Persephone played dumb. "No. I'm going."

"But you know who's going to be there."

Persephone dug through her purse and pulled out some chapstick. "It's a large party. There will be lots of people there." She shrugged, capped the chapstick, and popped her lips. "Well, he'll be here in a minute. How do I look?"

"Well, Perse. You look great. However." Artemis smudged her finger over the corner of her lips. "Most people brush their teeth before they do their makeup. I fixed it. You look stunning."

"Thanks." Persephone beamed.

"You seem . . . excited." Artemis's eyes narrowed.

"I'm always. . . excited." Persephone countered lamely.

"What's up?"

"It's. . . just, this is the first party we're going to. . . together." She touched her fingers together and drew in a deep breath, held it, and then let it escape in a sudden rush.

"You're nervous." Artemis nodded.

"No. I'm just. . ."

"You're nervous." Artemis grabbed her wrist. "If you don't want to-"

"No. No. I want to. I want to." Persephone laughed. "I promise. I just want to make a good impression." She steepled her fingers together. "There's. . . a lot of pressure. A lot of eyes." Her voice wavered. "And a lot of judgement."

Artemis took a deep breath and released it slowly, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Persephone. Look, I know I haven't been the most. . . supportive."

"Or accepting." Persephone muttered under her breath.

"You know how I feel about him." Artemis said each word on their own, carefully and with purpose. "I need you to know that I will always be on your team. Even if I don't really get it, I do support your ability to choose your own story. And If you ever need me to cut off his-or anyone's dick or shoot anyone in the face for you, I'll do it. Or if you just need someone to talk to and a spot on the couch, I got you too."

Persephone scrunched up her face. "That's so sweet." She straightened up. "But I can take care of myself. I want you to trust me that I can handle it. If there's a dick that needs to be cut, I can handle that too. I've spent a lot of time pruning, mind you." She winked at Artemis. "I will take you up on the couch part though."

Just then the doorbell rang.

Persephone bent down to kiss Artemis on the forehead then sprinted to the door. Artemis sighed and picked up the magazine again. She waved lazily at Hades who offered a cordial hello after an awkwardly long hello kiss.

When they were long gone, Artemis scanned one of the gossip columns, checking for new rumors about her brother to mock him with. Then she gasped. "Oh, this isn't good." She ripped out the page and crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash. She paused and groaned. "Trust her. She can handle it." She said to herself. "If she's going to do this, then-" She finished the rest of the thought in her head as she marched over to the trash can, uncrumpled the page and took a picture of the column. She pulled out her phone, her fingers hovering over Persephone's name. "This is going to hurt." She hesitated. Then shrugged. "If nothing else, maybe she'll dump him."

Sent.

"One drink and then we can leave?" Persephone eyed Hades. Her knee bobbing.

"You read my mind." Hades smiled, he held his hand out and Persephone grabbed it. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look?"

"Multiple times."

"Not enough. You're look beautiful." He raised her hand up to kiss the back of it, then set her hand back in her lap with a quick pat. He noticed her bobbing knee and bit his lip. "You know, I may look tough and all, but I'm actually kind of nervous about tonight."

"You're nervous?" Persephone bauked.

"Yes."

Persephone frowned. "Why?"

"I hate parties." He shrugged.

"So." She looked at her hands. "It's not me? You're not nervous about us?"

"No." Hades shook his head. "If anything, I might be too proud of the fact that you're with me. I don't like attention, but if it's because you're with me. . . that's not so bad. I could get used to that." He tapped lightly on her thigh and smiled. "Don't let anyone get to you, okay? I know this is all new for you. People are just jealous."

At a stop light he leaned over and kiss her cheek. "Just one drink. I promise."

Persephone melted into the seat, memorizing his touches, letting them burn her skin as if to leave a mark. Her phone buzzed.

Artemis: I think you need to see this. Maybe you shouldn't go to the party.

( )

She clicked the photo. She could barely read the words of the column the page was so crumpled.

Hades, God of the Underworld has decided to attach himself to a little farm girl that no one has heard of.

Rumors started when she drunkenly arrived at his house

last month after she partied too hard in a private room with Eros. She's been making the rounds ever since, so heard tell from a very knowledgeable source.

No one knows why Hades is so infatuated with this little flower girl.

She's not particularly pretty or powerful. A downgrade from his previous relationship in every possible way. It's obvious why Hades likes having her around. She's young and naive and will do everything she's told, like a little pet.

We all know how Hades likes to collect dogs. Persephone is just another bitch to add to his menagerie.

M

Persephone held back tears. Her hand started to shake so she clutched the phone to her chest. She stared at the column again, determined. "M"

"Minthe." She hissed.

"What?" Hades raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing" Perse bit her lip. She took a deep breath and slid her phone in her bra. "Nothing at all." After a moment, a smile began to creep on her face and she grabbed Hades hand that rested on the stick shift. "I was just thinking that maybe we should stay for a dance or two. That would be fun."

"You wanna dance?"

Persephone opened up her puppy dog eyes. Hades traced a finger along her cheek bone. "You'll have to take your shoes off."

Persephone blinked. "Why?"

"Because you'll need to stand on my feet if we're going to dance."

Persephone squinted. "You've thought about this before, haven't you."

"I think a lot about you in general." Hades smiled.

Hades tossed his keys to the valet and opened up Persephone's door. Cameras flashed everywhere. Lines of paparazzi made a tunnel around them. "Hey love birds, look this way." Hades blocked them his body and grabbed her arm to escort her safely inside. "Gods, paparazzi. I never understood it." He straightened his tie. "Sorry about that."

"I thought you said you didn't mind showing me off tonight." Persephone raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I just thought." Hades.

"You just thought you were protecting me." Persephone smiled sadly and bit her lip. "Let's see if your brothers are here." She made her way to the main floor where a swarm of people were clustered around standing tables of horderves and champagne. Some were jiving, some were full on dancing.

"They wouldn't be here." Hades whispered into her ear so he wouldn't have to yell in the noise of the mass of people. He pointed up. There was a second level that overlooked the main floor, lined with a glass railing. "Ah. Yes. There they are." He nodded to five shadows. "Would you like to meet them?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Well, you've already met Hera and Hestia."

"No. I mean. Do you want to introduce me to them. . . as.. ." Persephone left off.

"Yes. I'd very much like that." Hades grinned and held out his arm. They climbed the staircase together after security opened the rope for them. Casual tones turned into whispers.

"Silly" - "young" - "slave" - "what is he doing with a baby?"

Persephone felt Hades arm tighten. He threw a glance at a nearby table. They fell silent.

"You're amazing, you know that?" Persephone shook her head.

"People are scared of me." He shrugged and his eyes glowed red. "I don't know why."

Persephone giggled and hit his arm playfully.

"But I don't frighten you." He bent his nose down to her temple.

"Why would I be afraid of you?" She stopped at the top of the stairs while he was a few steps below so that they were at equal height.

"Well, the fact that I'm king of the underworld usually does the trick."

"Do you want me to be scared?" Persephone tilted her head.

"No. No." He raised his hand to her check then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "But you have to admit I- well, as someone once put it-try as I might to cover it up, I still reek of death."

Persephone bent his head down and kissed the top of his hair then took a big inhale through her nose. She hummed. "I like it."

Hades raised an eyebrow incredulously.

"No really. It uh." Persephone pulled him up the remaining stairs. "It kind of turns me on." She winked at him.

Hades jaw dropped.

"Hey howdy hey!" Poseidon boomed, jogging over. "You gonna hog this one to yourself all night or are you going to introduce us."

Hades shook his head out of the gutter. "Um. Sorry. We were just making our way over. Poseidon, this is my-" He stopped to look at her beaming smile. "This is my Persephone, goddess of spring. Dove, this is my brother Poseidon ruler of the ocean yada yada yada."

"Haha!" Poseidon clapped them both on the backs, knocking Persephone in to Hades arms. "It's so good to finally meet you. He's been keeping you locked up away from everyone, I'd almost thought you'd been kidnapped." He chortled. "Come on, I want you to meet my wife."

They walked closer to the cluster of shadows they'd seen from below. Persephone straightened her shoulders. Act like a Queen. Be a Queen. You are a Queen. Not yet. But if you can think it you can be it. Positive. Thoughts.

They all stopped talking and stared at Persephone expectantly.

Poseidon motioned towards a beautiful woman with red braided hair, crystals in the shape of raindrops placed delicately throughout. "This is uh. This is um Ca-Amphitrite." He bent down to kiss her check, but she smacked him upside the head. "What at least, I got there this time." She rolled her eyes.

"Persephone, is it? It's so lovely to meet you. You are as dainty and cute as I had heard."

Persephone's smile froze on her face as she shook hands.

"And Hades, it's so lovely to see a smile on your face. I hardly recognized you." Hades kissed her hand politely. "Amphitrite, it's good to see you too."

"My turn!" Zeus pushed Poseidon and Amphitrite to the side. He grabbed Persephone's hands in his and turned to Hades. "My my, Hades. How on earth did you manage to pull off getting this charming little thing?"

"Well, first off it was not on earth but the underworld." Hades pushed up his glasses. "And secondly, I have no idea how this smart, funny, and talented woman decided to look my way."

Persephone blushed.

"Hello. I'm Persephone." She said, trying to figure out how to shake his hand while his were still clasped around hers.

"She likes formal introductions." Hades grinned.

"Oh, where are my manners. Zeus, God of Heaven and Earth and Sky and all sorts of other things. It's really a shame Hades is so attached to you, you are absolutely adorable."

Persephone furrowed her eyebrows.

"Leave the girl alone." Hera placed a hand on his shoulder. "Persephone. My how you've grown." Hera stepped forward and ran her hand down her hair. "I remember the first party we were at together. Do you?" Her face was warm and kind, but something in her tone sounded disapproving.

Hestia came beside her. "Yes. Such a beautiful young lady. My dear, it's been too long. Just yesterday I feel like I was changing your-"

"Dear, would you mind getting me a drink?" Persephone asked loudly. Hades glanced at her apologetically. He kissed her head. "I'll be right back. Don't let them scare you." He whispered into her hair.

"So." Zeus wrapped an arm around Persephone's shoulder. "How are you? We know being by his side probably isn't always pleasant. Are you doing okay?"

"Wh-what?"

"Does he have something against you?" Hera raised her eyebrow. "Do you need help?"

Zeus elbowed her in the side and she returned a quick slap to his ribs.

"I don't understand." Persephone shuffled her feet, her ankle momentarily popping and her heel slipping underneath her. She caught herself, but she still felt unbalanced.

"Well. It's just, you're so. . ." Hestia motioned at all of Persephone. "And Hades is well, Hades."

"Yes. We've established that. I wouldn't be interested if he wasn't . . . well, Hades." Persephone squared her shoulders. "Look, I know I'm-"

"Persephone!" Hermes flew up the stairs and straight passed her then double backed. "I heard you were here."

"Hermes! Hi, how are you?" Persephone felt slightly relieved to see him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt" He bowed to Zeus and Poseidon. "but I think you need to be aware of something."

Persephone grabbed his arm. "What's happening? What's wrong?"

"It's Minthe. You should take a look for yourself." He nodded over the banister.

Persephone looked for Hades but didn't see him on the main floor. She did see Minthe standing in the center of the dance floor, talking, loudly, with large hand movements.

"What's up? I don't understand."

Hermes looked over to. "Oh. Well. I guess he's left, but she had been like, grinding up on him and trying to get him to dance with her."

"Yeah. I managed to get away." Hades sighed. He had been standing directly behind Persephone. "She's nothing."

Hera stepped forward. "You should really do something about Minthe." She hissed at Hades.

"That's not all." Hermes tapped his flying sandals together. "She's calling you names. Loudly." He winced.

Persephone worked hard not to grin. She relaxed her shoulders. "What names?" She asked calmly.

"Uh. I really don't think-" Hermes shook his head.

"What names?" She asked again.

"She called you an ugly dumb gold digging slut." Hermes repeated then clapped his hands over his mouth. "I'm sorry."

"Good." Persephone took in a deep breath. "She also called me another bitch to add to your dog collection in a gossip column."

Hades fumed and loosened his tie. "That's it. I'm going to-"

"Do nothing." Persephone spun around and put a hand on his. "This is my fight. Let me settle this. This is about me and Minthe. I can handle this." She held his hands to his lips.

"But"

"I've got this." She said authoritatively. "Besides," She leaned in towards him. "I want to show everyone that I belong here. I want to show you that too."

"Belong where?" Hades was still furious.

"Belong by your side." She smirked and kissed his hand again.

"You don't have to prove anything."

"I need to go take care of this." She leaned away. "Hermes?"

"Yeah?"

"Be a dear and hold my shoes will you?" Persephone balanced on Hades as she took her heels off one at a time and handed them to Hermes. She released her hair from the clip it was tied up with and it bounced lightly on her back. "I'm so sorry everyone." She called out to the olympians. "I know murder always puts a drain on a party."

Hades moved towards her.

"Trust me." She asked. "Stay." She ordered. Hades backed away. Her eyes lit with green energy. She then took the champagne glass still in Hades hand and downed it in one. She turned and began sashaying towards the stairs. With every step, the hard floor turned into a patch of inviting green grass where her feet would meet. As she glided down the stairs, the patches of grass rotted up into thorny knots.

As she moved onto the floor, her hair began to grow till it just grazed her ankles. People were in her way, though she could clearly see Minthe in the center. Someone noticed her and then patted their neighbor who then pulled back someone else until a clear path had formed of gawkers. She let their stares burn into her.

As she drew close, Persephone called out to her. "Minthe. Hi. We've never met in person. I'd like to introduce myself. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The whole floor grew silent.

"You see, I think we got off on the wrong foot." Persephone smiled, but she started circling Minthe.

"Wrong foot my ass. Listen. I'm gonna be real with you, because apparently this whole fucking place is full of a bunch of cowards." Minthe picked up on the circling and began to do so as well, like a duel. The crowd around them backed up and gave them space. "It's sweet that you think you can waltz in here with a king on your arm, but it's not gonna last hunny."

"It's true what they say about you, Minthe." Persephone never blinked. "You really are so pretty."

Minthe disregarded her compliment. "He just wants your tight pussy and from what I've heard, it's not that tight. Is it?"

As they circled, the path around them became covered in soft grass trails made by Persephone's feet.

"Minthe, I just wanted to thank you. You know, if it hadn't been for you, I might not be so happy right now."

"You're just a baby. Do you think he really wants a baby? He's got an entire kingdom to run and he doesn't have the time to babysit you."

"I can see why he liked you." Persephone smiled, but her eyes were narrowing more harshly by the second. "You know, that color green looks so good on you." The grass beneath their feet began to grow taller.

"Green?" Minthe scoffed, she looked at the floor. "You think a patch of grass is supposed to frighten me?"

"You really shouldn't have said those things about me." Persephone sighed. "I feel like we could have been good friends."

On the second level Zeus paced and taped Hades shoulder. "Should we do something?"

Hades shook his head. "She's perfectly capable. I would warn security and the maids." He turned back to the scene below him. "Minthe's greatest mistake was underestimating my Persephone."

Minthe still circled. "I would never hang out with someone so commonly and ugly as you." Minthe spat. "I don't care who you're dating, you have done nothing to deserve any special treatment."

"I don't want special treatment. I never asked for that. However, Minthe. I do expect respect."

"You're just a young little flower with little significance." Minthe seethed. "You're nothing. What? Flowers and shit? Are you trying to intimidate me? I live in the underworld, baby. You're just a floozy visitor with a weak stomach."

"You know with that color of jealousy and your skin tone.. . You know what that reminds me of?" Persephone stopped circling. "Roses."

Roses began to grow at an alarming rate around the circle of their "duel".

"Wow. Flowers? How . . . impressive." Minthe rolled her eyes. The roses bent towards Minthe. The flower still red, but the stem grew up taller than it should be possible.

"Careful. Minthe. Some flowers bite."

Minthe laughed, but then suddenly the stems wrapped around her legs. The thorns ripped into her calf and thighs. "Wait. Ow. No." Thorns kept growing out and wrapping around Minthe. She tried to escape, but everywhere she moved, thorns tugged on her harder. She tried to move her feet. Her heel got caught and slipped off, moving her whole foot onto a briar patch. "This is what's going to happen now." Persephone moved towards her, the thorns moving out of her way, while still covering Minthe. She whispered something in the close approximation of Minthe's ear though it was hard to tell because she was a blob of thorns now. "I'm going to pluck you out like one of my silly little flowers. Chew you up, and spit you out. And there's nothing you can do to stop me. And yes. It's going to hurt."

Minthe squirmed and cried out in agony-a thousand tiny stabs. "Moving only makes it worse." Persephone smiled and shaped the thorns taller, pushing Minthe up into the air, held by tiny spikes.

Minthe screamed in torment. "Stop! Stop! Stop this!" There was heaving sobs that only begot more screams.

"What's wrong, Minthe? It's just some silly flowers." Persephone laughed dryly. "Don't worry. I won't kill you, Minthe. No, no. Because then your soul will be roaming around in his kingdom and I can't have that. No. I'm going to plant you in my garden and bury you under dirt that I'll scoop out with my own two hands."

The only response was a high pitched whine.

"This is the punishment for crossing me." Persephone glared at everyone on the floor, who were slack jawed and horrified. "My judgement is swift and it is final."

Persephone raised her hand in the air. The screams of Minthe were muffled by the many layers in casing her. Persephone then squeezed her hand into a tight fist and the ball of thorns clamped down onto itself. Minthe's screams stopped. Ichor oozed out of the vines, splattering everyone in the nearest ten foot vicinity. The majority of the blood splashed onto Persephone. She lowered her hand to her side, and the tightened ball of thorns sank to the ground. She opened her palm and twisted her fingers. Stem by stem, the thorns peeled themself away. A few stems curled their way up into Persephone's hair, a flower crown of roses budded. Three sharp thorns protruded in the front, like a makeshift tiara.

People gasped as the final stems lifted, revealing what was left of Minthe. A nymph shaped herb bush laid in her place.

Persephone kneeled down and grabbed a sprig of leaves. When she stood up, she stared at everyone staring back, still speechless. "Does anyone else have anything to say about me?" She paused. A pin drop would have cut the silence. "That's what I thought."

She then commanded the left over rose stems to swirl together, forming a tough stalk. She held onto it as it grew even taller. So tall, she was able to jump off at the second level. She straightened her hair out and adjusted her rose crown.

As she traipsed towards Hades, who fell to his knees before her.

"I'm sorry about your friend." Her eyes had calmed down but she couldn't look him in the eyes just yet. Hades didn't move or say anything as she replaced his boutonniere with the sprig of plant. Her hands were still splattered with Minthe's blood. "If it's any consolation, we could always plant her in the garden." She plucked a leaf and popped it into her mouth. "Mmm. You know, she would taste great as a tea. Hmm. It smells good too."

She took a deep breath then shined her puppy dog eyes up at Hades.

He smiled in awe and then he smiled wickedly. "You." Kiss. "Are." Kiss. "Absolutely." Kiss. "Terrifying."

Persephone beamed. "Really?" She bit her lip. "Are you frightened of me?"

"Yes. And I'm madly in love with you." He picked her up into his arms and kissed her hard and deeply. Their mouths moving as one yearning to be closer than ever.

"Mmm. You taste different." Hades murmured.

"It's Minthe." She spit out the textured leaf then resumed kissing him.

When they came up for air again Persephone whispered, "Let's get out of here."

"You don't have to ask me twice."

Hades carried her past Zeus and Poseidon and their wives, waving goodbye. "Duty calls."

"It was lovely to meet you!" Persephone leaned out of Hade's arms to wave too.

Poseidon and Zeus both looked at each other, then in tandem said "An excellent Queen of the Underworld."

Persephone asked to be put down at the bottom of the stairs. A path was already made for them by everyone wanting a look at the couple, but keeping a fair distance. Everyone was sweating. Persephone never set foot on the floor as grass still sprung up to meet her feet. When they walked outside even more cameras had gathered to get a look at them and to cover the story of what just transpired. They paused at the threshold. Hades looked down and smiled at Persephone who grinned back. Hand in hand, they strode slowly through the flashing lights only looking at each other.

"So." Persephone started as they waited for the car to be pulled around. "Do you think I made a good impression?"

Hades chuckled. "Kore, I think you'll fit in just fine with my family."

* * *

 **AN: WOW. Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/favorited/and reviewed this collection so far. Every comment means so much to me. Thank you! It gives me the courage and motivation to keep writing.**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	2. Movie Night

**Second One shot in the collection of Lore Olympus** **fan fiction.**

 **Summary: Hera and Zeus try to cheer Hades up after his break up with Minthe.**

* * *

Movie Night

* * *

Zeus rang the doorbell and then fell back into line with Hera. He fidgeted with the collar of his sweater.

"He just broke up with Minthe last week." Hera reminded him, like a mom reminding her child what to do with his lunch money at school. "And he found out that Persephone is going to take the sacred vows of virginity. He took it pretty hard. So. Don't mention them at all. If he brings it up, just listen and nod and be. . .nice."

"So, don't highlight the fact how miserably alone and sad he is?" While Zeus spoke they heard a symphony of dogs barking and howling from somewhere inside.

"Yes." Hera sighed. "Don't be a dick. We're here to keep him company."

Zeus nodded. "Got it." His hand wiggled from her arm down to her butt.

"And no PDA." Hera swatted his hand away.

"What?!" Zeus grumbled.

"Context, Zuzu. Our mission tonight is to make him feel as normal as possible when he has a broken heart and you showboating your relationship in front of him is not going to-"

"Hey guys!" Hades swung the door open. He smiled as he wrapped them both up in a group hug, lifting them off their feet. He was still wearing his suit from work but his shirt was unbuttoned a little. "Hope you guys haven't been standing out here too long, I was on the other side of the house."

"Hades!" Zeus called out too loudly.

"Yes?"

"You're looking good, man." Zeus made finger guns at him.

"Thanks. . . man." Hades returned the weird finger guns back at him. "Well, come on. I've got popcorn on the stove. Real butter. Not that microwaved crap." Hades practically skipped inside. "I'm so glad you guys finally came over. I've been wanting to show you my new TV for ages."

Zeus leaned over and whispered in Hera's ear. "He doesn't look that sad."

"It's denial. You know how stoic he is."

Hades appeared behind them suddenly. "What are we whispering about?"

Hera thought quickly. "Remember that one vacation to - oh where was it, darling? Anyway, you and Poseidon raced down to the bottom of the volcano and Hestia called it a draw."

Hades chuckled under his breath. "Oh yeah. I forgot about that."

"That was fun. That was a fun memory." Hera tried to keep the conversation light.

Hades rubbed his chin. "Didn't a lot of people die on that vacation because Poseidon wanted a rematch so bad he split the ground?"

"Yes. Fun times." Zeus concurred.

"So. Did you guys decide what you wanted to watch?" Hades led them over to the living room then threw his hand up to show off his wall of movies. Each one was organized by genre and then alphabetically. "If you guys wanted to start with-" Hades paced over to the sci-fi collection. "Astral Wars V: The 3 Realms Strike Back, but if you haven't seen the first one, we can start with that one."

"Sounds good!" Hera nodded enthusiastically.

"Which one?"

"Oh uh. Let's watch them all?" She bit her lip, hoping that was the right answer.

Hades eyes bugged out. "Okay, but we're gonna need more popcorn."

Zeus settled down on the long part of the sectional, taking up as much room as possible. He shimmied, getting comfortable on Hade's leather couch. "Well, we know you have work in the morning. Don't want to keep you up too late." Hera settled in the middle of the couch and cross her legs.

"Actually." Hades called from the kitchen. When he returned he had a big bowl of fresh hot popcorn. "I think I'm going to take the day off."

"Oh, that'll be good. You need a rest and take time for yourself." Here nodded encouragingly. "It's good to see you taking care of yourself and not working yourself to death."

Hades grinned. "Work for death not work to death, that's what I always say." He was surprised when Hera and Zeus actually laughed at his dumb joke. His eyes squinted. They never laughed at his dumb jokes.

Trailers started playing before the movie. "You know," Hades pulled up the remote. "I always forget I can skip these now. Isn't that amazing?"

"Yup, sure is." Hera smiled with faked agreement.

A door creaked open down the hall. A quiet soft yawn proceeded before Persephone turned the corner, rubbing her eye lid. She was wearing an extra large sweater that covered her more like a dress and socks that went up to her knees, but one of them was crumbled around her shin.

"Hey sleepy head." Hades smiled warmly. "Have a good nap?"

Persephone nodded and yawned again, stretching her arms out. "I'm so tired." She said while climbing up on the couch. With an exhale she slumped over on Hade's lap and curled on him like a cat.

Zeus grabbed Hera's arm. He mouthed at her "what?"

She shrugged and shook her head bewildered.

Zeus still mouthing: "I thought you said she was vowing celibacy?"

"She is! That's what I was told." Hera mouthed back. "Maybe they're just friends."

"That doesn't look like just friends. She's wearing his sweater."

They both paused to turn and look at Persephone. She so easily folded onto Hades without a care in the world. She nuzzled onto his lap, digging her nose closer to his inner thigh.

"You were knocked out. What have you been doing today?" Hades combed through her hair and moved it away from her face. At his touch, small blue peonies began to bloom.

"Training." She yawned. "Working on my powers really just drained me."

"Did you see we have guests?"

Persephone's eyes popped open. "Oh!" She sat up onto her knees. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I told you this morning they were coming over."

" _This morning?"_ Zeus mouthed again at Hera. " _She spent the night?"_

"Oh, that's right. I'm so sorry." She walked her hands out on the other side of Hades so she was on all fours. "Hi! It's nice to see you again, Hera."

"Yes. It's so good to see you too Persephone." Hera blinked. "Um. Have you met my husband?" Zeus shuffled over and leaned across Hera, on all fours too. They were face to face and eyes full of bright enthusiasm. "Persephone. I've heard so much about you, I've wanted to meet you for so long. I never thought I'd get the chance."

"It's an honor." Persephone blushed and then she yawned. "Oh I'm so sorry. I'm not normally like this. It's just I've been working on a secret project. Don't tell Hades."

Hades leaned back into the cushions. "You know I'm literally under you right now."

" _That's what she said."_ Zeus muttered under his breath.

"Oops." Persephone collapsed but Hades scooped her up into his arms.

"And what is this secret project?" Hades hand traced a line from her calf to the middle of her back.

"Nothing!" Persephone beamed and shoved her face into his chest.

"Liar." Hades booped her on the forehead. "If you don't tell me, I'm gonna just have to make a thorough grounds inspection and figure it out."

"No!" Persephone bloomed open on his lap. "It's not finished yet. I'm still working on it."

"Not finished with what?"

"My secret project." Persephone's eyes glinted.

"I thought you said you were training your powers today." Hade's furrowed his eyebrows.

"I was." Persephone sighed. "Ugh fine." She got on her feet. "It's not completed yet. So just know that I'm still working on it." She held out her hand. "Come on. I'll show you. Hera. . . Zeus. . . you can come too." She led him towards the side entrance and walked the path towards the back of property. "It's not my best work. Like I said. I'm not done."

She gestured to a building. Hades blinked. "Wait. That. . . wasn't here before."

"I know, silly. Because I built it. It's a greenhouse."

"You . . . built this?" Hades eyes softened.

"It's all sustainable. Plant based structure." She knocked on one of the posts.

"Kore." Hades sighed. "I. . . You do know that nothing can grow down here, right? Because there's no sun."

"I know." Persephone smiled. "Why do you think I'm so tired." She opened up the door. Inside the greenhouse, from floor to ceiling the space was covered in dark shiny plants. Some like ivy, with vines hanging down from the ceiling. Others with leaves sticking straight up. Soil and pots were cluttered around. Small tables contained 12 by 12 small seed planters, some of which were turned over. On the right hand side, was a large water feature with 12 different kind of plants sitting in the water, bathing in it. The left hand side had saplings in large pots. Dark leaves were just beginning to sprout. The top of the green house was bare, where there should be glass was just the empty darkness of the underworld.

"I got the idea. . . looking through your office." Persephone bit her lip.

"What?"

"Well. You see. These plants are. . . different." Persephone paused. "They don't need sunlight." Hera touched one of the leaves with her finger tips.

"You see how dark they are?" Persephone watched her nervously. "Flip it over."

Hera obliged. The other side was fuzzy, not waxy and a pale white almost silver. "I've never seen plants like these before."

"I know." Persephone yawned. "Because I created them."

Hades took a stroll up and back. Persephone watching him intently. "This is amazing. Kore, this is amazing." He stopped in front of her. "But what do you mean about inspiration from my office."

"Well." Persephone grumbled. "I have an appointment to pitch this to your office this week. And I was gonna surprise you." She fiddled with the ends of her hair. "I know you're having spacing issues with all the influx." She tapped her feet. "And I thought this might help."

Hades raised an eyebrow.

Persephone turned towards a beautiful plant and checked it's stem. "They don't need sunlight. These little babies get energy from souls."

Hades stared at her in shock. Persephone bit her lip. "Is. . .it's stupid isn't it? I shouldn't have."

Hades grabbed her by the waist then spun her around in circles. "It's absolutely remarkable." She laughed then bent down to kiss him. He kissed her back so furiously an empty clay pot was crushed in the excitement.

"I'm starting to get the feeling that Hades doesn't need cheering up." Zeus said over Hera's shoulder.

"Cheering up?" Hades perked up. "What?"

Hera and Zeus exchanged several glances, each one escalating in animation.

"You ask." Hera nodded.

"No you." Zeus shook his head. "It was your idea in the first place."

"What idea?" Hades set Persephone back down on her feet, holding her still to him.

"Ugh. Fine." Hera exclaimed. "We thought you were going to be sad given the news about. . ." She turned to Persephone. "Well. We thought you weren't. . ." She didn't know how to finish the sentence without sounding like-.

Zeus threw his hands up in the air. "We thought you couldn't bone her. Are you guys boning? I thought you were taking a celibacy vow."

Persephone turned beet red and dug her face into Hades chest.

"That's a very invasive question." Hades squeezed her closer. "And one in which doesn't dignify an answer." He brushed a hand through her hair as she looked up at him.

"No. We should tell them the truth." Persephone's eyes shone even without the light of the moon in the sky. "What you heard was correct." She shuffled her feet together, but turned to face Hera and Zeus, with her back against Hades stomach. "But, I realized that it wasn't my dream. That life wasn't what I wanted. I found another life I couldn't live without. I found a better dream." Persephone reached up behind her to curl her fingers up into his hair, then slowly let her fingers drag down the side of his face. He turned to kiss her hand as it past.

"Oh. So your boning now?" Zeus went bright eyed.

"Ugh." Hades face palmed. "Come on, let's finish the movie. Unless of course you were just pitying me earlier."

"Nope." Zeus clapped his hands together. "Nope. I love. . . those Astral-Trek movies."

"Astral Wars."

"Uh-huh. Right."

Persephone laughed with a sound so infectious Hades joined in with a hearty chuckle. This was the most they've ever seen Hades smile in over 1000 years.


	3. Bed of Wolfsbane

Third little One Shot of Lore Olympus Fanfiction. (These have no particular order. Or time frame.)

Summary: Persephone gets invited to a party. Her enemies and her allies are all gathered under one roof.

* * *

Bed of Wolfsbane

* * *

The floor vibrated with pulsating bass beats. The dance floor girating alongside it, pushing Persephone off to the side. She leaned against the back wall next to the punch station. Her eyes darted amongst the dark bodies, trying to find someone she knew. Anyone. But she was really scanning for a certain someone.

"Ugh. I shouldn't have come here." She whispered into her almost empty cup of punch. "I don't think she meant to invite me anyway."

The invitation arrived only earlier that morning while Artemis slept off her night time duties. Persephone's name was hand written on the card in large dark purple letters, with a curly swooping hand. It was either a trap or an attempt at reconciliation. Either way, Persephone was too nervous to go at first and was about to trash the invitation when Eros texted her.

 _Eros:_

 _Hey! Did you get the invitation?_

 _Wanna be my date? I'll make sure to get you home by bedtime. You can wear the new dress! And please, please for the love of me, some real underwear. (kissy face emoji) (cry laughter emoji)_

Aphrodite's house was glitzed out and jam packed with people.

"There is too many people." Persephone scrunched her face up as Eros led her inside with his arm around her shoulder.

"It's a good size for an orgy." Eros snickered. Persephone stopped dead in her tracks and spun so fast, her hair slapped Eros in the face.

"What? Eros. . . is this . . . is this a. . ."

"No. It's just a regular party. But the look on your face was priceless." Eros grinned mischievously, then he leaned on his heels."I mean, there probably will be an orgy at the after party, but don't worry, I'll take you home before hand." His grin turned wicked. "Unless of course you wanna stay."

Persephone melted. "I'm gonna punch you."

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

"I'm not." Persephone crossed her arms. "I will punch you."

"Someone's feisty tonight."

"I'm always feisty." Persephone brushed her hair off her shoulder.

"You sure it isn't because you're hoping to see a certain someone?"

"No, it's because I'm worried I'm going to see a certain someone."

"Oh? Who?" Eros leaned in.

"Your mother! You know, the one who is and I quote "furiously mad" at me." Persephone's eyes grew big and wide with concern.

"Don't worry about her. I'll run interference. Like you said, there's a lot of people here." Eros took her inside, dragging her by her coat. "Besides, I need someone here to keep me honest."

"What?" Persephone raised her eyebrow.

Eros sighed and scratched the nape of his neck. "If my mom sees that I've come here and not flirted with anyone or took anyone home, then. . . maybe. . . she'll let me see her."

"Eros! She'll see that you're taking me home!" Persephone whipped around again. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

Eros closed his eyes and wagged his head from side to side. "Please, just. . . scratch my back and I'll scratch yours?"

Persephone grumbled. "I'm going to get some punch."

It had been ten minutes and Eros hadn't shown up at the punch table. She thought he would follow her. Wasn't the point of her being his date was to keep him honest? How could she do that if he abandoned her.

She pulled up her phone, her finger hovering over Artemis's name. She sighed and put her phone down. She felt childish for wanting to call for help. After another minute passed by she pulled her phone up again. This time her hand hovering over the name she had been trying not to think about.

 _Persephone: You know what's worse than a crowded party?_

 _Hades: What?_

 _Persephone: I don't know. No punchline. I was hoping you could answer that._

 _Hades: Pushing a boulder up a hill for all eternity. That's worse._

 _Persephone: Fair. You gotta point._

She laughed and put her phone down. _I guess it could be worse. Gods, I'm such a loser._ She made herself stop before she asked if he wanted to come. _Don't do this to yourself._ Someone at the punch table waved at her when she looked at him, then he limped back to a chair on the wall.

"Welcome to the garden of wall flowers." Persephone smiled sadly.

Hephaestus raised his glass to her. "I'm not one for parties. Is it stuffy in here or is it just me?" He pulled at the collar on his neck. "These clothes. I don't like them. Too restrictive."

"I'm Persephone." She held out her hand. "Goddess of Spring."

He looked down at her hand, puzzled. "Hephaestus. God of Craftsmanship." He looked around nervously before shaking her hand. His hands were worn and rough, a big callus enveloping her small soft fingers. His fingernails were black. No matter how much he cleaned them, he was stained with hard manual labor.

"I love your work." Persephone smiled kindly.

"Th-thank you." He grunted then turned his attention back to his drink. "Is this a dare?" His words turned cold. "Did someone put you up to this?"

"What?" Persephone blinked. "What do you mean?"

He grunted then turned his back. "It was nice to meet you but you should leave me be."

Persephone frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just trying to be nice. I'm sorry, I've been told I don't really have any personal boundaries. I just thought you could use the company. I'm bored and I don't know anyone here. I really shouldn't be here but I thought I was helping a friend." Persephone frowned.

"I'm no company for you to keep." Hephaestus hummed over his glass. "You'll only ostracize yourself."

"Eh, I'm already alone." Persephone shrugged. "Do you wanna dance?" She smiled up at him hopefully.

He grunted. A small smile cracked from his haggard expression.

Ares pressed his lips on Aphrodite's shoulder. "Great party, but it's too loud for my taste."

She smacked him off lightly and pulled away. "Not here. There's too many people."

"I know." Ares grabbed her waist. "No one will notice."

"My husbands here. He'll catch us if you keep this up." She grabbed his hand from her thigh and placed it safely on his chest.

Ignoring her, he spun Aphrodite out towards the crowd beneath them. "Wouldn't that be exciting?" He pressed up behind her. "Right here in front of everyone. Come on, don't tell me you wouldn't love that."

She sighed and couldn't control her hips as they pressed back into his.

He hummed as his hand dragged from the back of her knee to the hem of her skirt, hiking it up suddenly past her butt cheeks.

She inhaled sharply.

"You like that?" Ares whispered as he thrust closer to her and started pulling her thong out of the way. Aphrodite arched her back, then her eyes grew wide then narrowed into slits.

She growled. "How dare she." Aphrodite gripped the railing. Her veins popping through. Her eyes glowing with jealousy. "How dare she!" She growled again. "Later, Ares. I've got calls to make." She yanked her skirt down and stomped to a side room.

"Hey. Hey!" Eros waved from above. His wings spanning half the dance floor. "I've been looking for you. Oh. Hi-hi Hephaestus. Didn't know you would be here."

"It's my house." He grumbled. "Thanks for the dance, Persephone." Then he turned and walked back to his wall.

"What's his deal?" Persephone stared back at him while Eros landed lightly on his feet taking his spot beside her.

"Doesn't like me much." Eros shrugged. "Not a huge fan of his step-kids. I'm just a reminder of well. . ."

"Oh." Persephone placed a finger to her lips.

"I have good news." Eros hopped excitedly, hoovering in the air. "Guess who just came in?"

"Who?"

Eros placed his hands on both sides of her face, angling her up until she was facing his direction.

"Hades." Persephone's eyes popped open and sweat began to form under her hairline.

"Apparently, mommy wanted to apologize for her little prank."

"Oh. That's. Interesting." Persephone combed her hair and cleared her throat. "I mean. . . that would be interesting, but it's not, because I don't care."

Eros saw right through her bullshit. "Sure. Sure. So you didn't want me to tell him you were in love with him?"

"What?" Persephone blanched. "No, he can't know that."

"I didn't. But it's nice of you to finally admit it."

"Admit wh-"

"That you are smitten, starry-eyed, over the moon, head over heels, in… " Eros's eyes glowed rosey. "Love."

Persephone took in a deep breath. "I don't know about that, but okay, okay. Fine fine, just keep your voice down about it." She stared back up at Hades. His face was long as he grabbed a glass of Champagne from a passing waitress. "Um. Eros?"

"Yes." His face smushed cheek to cheek facing the same direction.

"Remember when you said 'scratch my back and I'll scratch yours?'"

"Yes." Eros grinned mischievously.

"Hi, hi!" Zeus swung his arm up around Hades shoulder. "Didn't know you were coming. Staying for the after party?" His eyes glinted.

"Ugh. No. You know how well that went last time." Hades rolled his eyes. _Never again._ "Aphrodite said she wanted to apologize and I wanted to hash out a few things with her as well." He checked his phone again for the millionth time. She hasn't texted back yet. Maybe she found someone else more interesting. Maybe she needed help. Maybe she just didn't care. She's probably just busy. Should he text her again?

Hades wiped his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Have you seen her?"

"Aphrodite?" Zeus scanned the crowd. "I haven't seen her at all actually. Oh. We got a pink one coming in hot. Oh, my, she is hot. And bothered. Hmm." Zeus sipped on his glass then stepped to the side out of the way.

"What do you mean?" Hades followed his eyes. Persephone was charging up the stairs, her hand clutched on Eros's shirt, dragging him behind her. He dropped his champagne glass. "Persephone." Hades eyes softened. "I-"

"Apologize." She rung Eros out in front of her, her face turned up and determined.

"Uh-" Eros hesitated, his hands held close to his chest. "But."

"No buts. Apologize." Persephone tapped her foot.

"Persephone, I'm sorry." Eros pleaded.

"Not to me. You've already apologized to me. You need to apologize to Hades. You know, the king whose car you broke into."

Eros nodded. "Alright alright, let go of me." He shimmied out of her clutches. "Hades. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. . . I shouldn't have."

"Go on." Persephone pushed.

"I shouldn't have broken into your car and put a drunk spring goddess into the back of it. It wasn't my idea. I was following orders, but that doesn't excuse me of executing them."

"And." Persephone nodded.

"And I know how busy you are and how much of an inconvenience my actions caused. I promise, I have no ill will towards you or to Persephone. Please accept my apology." He hung his head low. One eye winked at Persephone.

"Oh. Um." Hades straightened up. "It was a very reckless and disrespectful thing to do. I appreciate the apology, but it was . . ." He glanced at Persephone. "No, no trouble though. I really wasn't inconvenienced. It's Persephone who needs the apology, not I."

"Oh, don't worry. He's already made up for it." Persephone stepped forward. "We're cool." She bumped Eros's fist.

"Well, now that that's done. I," Eros stepped back. "I'll leave you to it. Dance party isn't gonna dance itself."

Hades raised his eyebrow.

Eros shrugged and laughed nervously. "Gotta go." He winked again at Persephone as he skipped out, unfolded his wings and launched back down to the dance floor.

"I'm really sorry about him." Persephone stepped a tiny scooch closer. "He means well."

"I'm surprised you aren't blisteringly mad at him." Hades tapped his toe. "I mean, that was pretty crazy."

"Yeah. It was." Persephone grinned shyly. "Crazy."

"I should probably be more upset." Hades shrugged, trying to be casual. "But, I just, for some reason, can't be mad." His lips moved closer to what some might consider a smile.

"Personally, I think the whole thing is quite silly." Persephone held her hand up. "Like I know Aphrodite was trying to. . . "shake" me up, and everyone has been acting like it was this big injustice or whatever. . . but I don't know. I- is it weird, if I said I had. . . fun?"

Hades eyebrows shot up, then he grinned widely. "No. No. It's not weird at all. Not weird at all."

Zeus tapped Poseidon's back.

"So, then after it reared its head from the depths of the trench, I lodged my trident between it's jaws, then ripped it's eyes from their sockets." Zeus slapped him repeatedly. "What?" Poseidon barked. "I'm impressing ladies, here."

"Look look look look look, you big fish." He grabbed Poseidon's cheek. "'Just nice looking' my ass."

"Wait, did, did he bring her?"

"No. But she marched up here to talk to him."

"Really?"

"Really." Zeus and Poseidon shared a glance.

"Interesting."

"Very interesting."

They slinked forward together.

"Hades!" Zeus called. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."

"Sure you did." Hades sighed. "You usually do. Persephone, these are my little brothers." He gestured to where they stood gawking like children.

"Little!?" Poseidon argued. "Who are you calling little?"

"Is this the little flower you locked up in the underworld?" Zeus grabbed Persephone's hands. "You know, she's just as gorgeous as you described."

 _He talked about me? . . . to his brothers?_ Persephone turned more pink than she already was.

"Hi! Zeus. It's an honor. Hades speaks of you fondly."

"No I don't." Hades shook his head.

"Aw," Poseidon rubbed Hades hair in. "Using us to impress your lady guests? Not bad."

Hades yanked his brother's hand off. Poseidon let it roll and engulfed Persephone in a huge hug. He'd already decided he liked her.

"Trying to impress what lady guests?" Hera swung into the circle, her arm wrapped around Zeus. "Lovely to see you Hades. I'm glad you're here and who is-" Hera paused, seeing finally who the lady guest was. She shook her head, sighed, and then smiled. "Persephone. My, I didn't know you were coming. Did you. . . come alone?" She eyed Hades, displeasure in her gaze.

"Hera!" Her eyes lit up. "No. Eros invited me actually. Mostly out of pity, I think. Making up for. . . well. The last party." Persephone laughed. "Are all parties on Olympus this extravagant?" Persephone turned around and gestured to the place. Just then women unfolded down from large purple fabric, dancing in the air.

"This is actually pretty subtle." Zeus starred a second too long at the nearest dancer. He licked his lips. "Aphrodite does know how to throw a good party though. I wonder if the tigers will be making another appearance. You know what they say, come to an Aphrodite party alone, you won't be waking up in your own bed in the morning."

Hades smacked Zeus with the back of his hand. "That's not what they say."

"It's what I say." Zeus shrugged his left shoulder up. "Hera, maybe you want to take a _walk_ in the garden. Give a certain two people some space?" He eyed Persephone and Hades knowingly. Poseidon sipped on his beer, not picking up any signals.

"Hey, asshat!" A loud voice yelled from the crowd getting closer. "There you are. Answer your damn phone, idiot! I've been trying to call your for three days."

Hades froze. All his organs sucked up into his throat. "Shit."

The beautiful underworld river nymph Minthe strode from the dance floor over to Hades. She swung her hand up into his hair and wrapped her right leg on his hip. "Hi. You wanna get out of here? It's been too long."

"Minthe." Hades found his tongue again. "I-"

"Less talking." Her hand rose up from his chest to his face, angling it down. She pulled him into a long kiss.

"Minthe." Hades leaned back. "You-don't-."

She sighed and turned toward Zeus and Hera. "Hi guys. Didn't think to invite me, huh?"

"Minthe." Hera rolled her eyes. "Always a pleasure. This isn't our party."

"No. No it's not. Sorry, I missed yours. I had better things to do."

Zeus glanced worriedly at Persephone.

Persephone stood opened mouthed, growing smaller and smaller with every passing second. Her eyes zeroed in on every place Minthe touched him. His waist. His hair. His cheek. His arm. His lips.

She closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath, but she could already feel her hair start to pull on her bobby pins with the weight of growth. _Calm._ She imagined that she could just turn invisible and disappear. She felt small enough in this moment that no one would notice.

She cleared her head. Of course. It's Hades. A king. She shouldn't have expected anything else. She was foolish for thinking that maybe she was special, that maybe, Hades thought of her too.

"Hi. I'm Persephone." She opened her eyes and stepped forward, reaching her hand out politely towards Minthe. Everything about her was. . . gorgeous. _Stop comparing yourself._ This nymph knew Hades in ways Persephone never would. Besides. What did it matter. She didn't care. Nope. Why would she care if Hades was involved with someone. They were just friends. Just friends.

Zeus and Poseidon grabbed each other. No one breathed.

Minthe looked down at her outstretched hand with disgust. "Ah." She rolled her eyes, ignoring the gesture. "So you're the little village weed that slept with Hades. I've heard of you."

"Oh." Persephone took her hand back. "Oh no. You misunderstood. I didn't- Hades never. It was just a big misunderstanding. I promise. Nothing happened. He was very kind and ever so much the gentlemen. I promise. Nothing-nothing happened." She looked up at Hades dolefully. He winced back at her. Pain in his eyes.

"'Ever so much the gentleman.'" Minthe scoffed. "Don't sweat it, girly." Minthe brushed her hair off her shoulder. "You're not his type. Besides, it's not as if the king of the underworld would ever consider a silly little flower girl from the mortal realm. I mean come on, you with Hades?" She laughed deep from her chest. "It's hysterical. Like you'd survive a full day in the underworld by Hades side."

Everyone froze.

Persephone's heart began to crack. She felt like her legs were knocked out from underneath her. Or was the ground moving up, swallowing her.

Was it true? She bit back a wallop of unmentioned fears.

Minthe continued laughing. Hera's eyes softened as she watched Persephone's face fall.

"Yes." Persephone stared at her feet. "It is quite s-silly, isn't it."

Hades closed his eyes shut, wishing he were anywhere but here. How could he fix this? Why didn't he talk to Minthe sooner. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. This was ruined. Whatever this was, it was ruined.

Persephone crossed her right arm across her torso. "I think you're wrong."

"What?" Minthe raised her eyebrow into a high arch.

Persephone's eyes widened. She didn't mean to speak that aloud. "N-nothing." She leaned on her heels. "No. Not nothing." Her hair shook out of it's braid. "I said I think you're wrong." She stared up at Minthe just long enough to see her face of disbelief, then darted back to the floor. Persephone cheeks turned red. "If you'll excuse me I just forgot that I- I just remembered that I have - I have to leave now." Persephone said with as much calm in her voice as she could muster. Then turned about, and marched down the stairs. Her hand squeezed into a fist.

"Persephone?" A voice from the dance mob called to her. She looked back to see Eros wings fly up from the mass. She shook her head, fighting back tears, and quickened her pace. The only clear path was the double doors leading out back. "Persephone?" Eros grabbed her arm.

She ripped her arm away from Eros, not able to look him in the eye, and exited into the garden. Her hair nearly getting caught in the door behind her. A looming figure watched by the door as she exited. He chugged his beer and followed the flower petals outside.

Eros let her go. He knew what a heartbreaking looked like. He clutched his own. "Psyche." He muttered under his breath and his head hung low. After a few self pitying breaths, he glanced up where the kings had been standing. His wings opened and he flew up towards them. Zeus and Poseidon were still shell shocked. Hera had her head in her hands.

"Where's mom?" Eros flapped his wings, his breath full of anger.

"Stupid. Stupid. STUPID!" Persephone cried out into the night. She paced back and forth behind a large hedge. On the other side was an ornate fountain. "Idiot!" She shook her head. "Of course. Of course. He's-he's. . . he would never - i'm just. . . just a village weed." She stopped pacing and folded onto the ground. "Mom was right. I don't belong here." She took a few steadying breaths then stood up again. "God, the way she just -" She replayed the moment of Minthe wrapping herself up around Hades. Every time it felt like the wind was getting knocked out of her. "Fuck!" She cursed into the night. She fell, timber style, onto her back, but a bed of dark purple flowers caught her. She curled up into the fetal position, digging her hand into the soil beneath her. The night sky only reminded her of Hades. "Why does it hurt so much?" She ripped up the flowers by the roots.

"Persephone?" A hand wrapped over hers.

"Eros, I really really don't-" She sat up, but it wasn't Eros holding hers. "No." She shook her head. "No. Not now."

"Hey. Come on. What did I tell you. You're my girl." He laid beside her. His shirt already unbuttoned. He pressed her hand to her chest and pushed her onto him.

"Apollo." Persephone's voice turned vicious as she got up on her knees. This was the absolute worst time for Apollo to appear.

"We can do it that way too." He grinned.

"Get off of me." Persephone hissed. "I said get off." She rose to her feet, ripping her hand out from Apollo's. "I'm NOT your girl." She stepped on his other hand, heel first.

"Ow!" Apollo's eyes narrowed. "Hey, what do you think-."

"You know, you're not the center of the universe, Apollo. I'm sure this is a newsflash for you, but not every girl thinks your hot shit."

His eyes fluttered and he began coughing. "Wh-what are you doing to me?"

"You laid down in a bed of wolfsbane with your shirt practically off, you big dumb idiot. Your heart rate is lowering. Your nervous system is slowing down. Don't worry, it won't kill you but in a few moments you'll fall unconscious." Persephone explained coldly. She sunk down to his level. "You must have me confused with someone else, because let me be very clear on this. I do not like you, Apollo. And I never have liked you. And I never will." Thorns began to grow up and around Apollo's wrist and feet, binding him to his spot. Persephone's eyes glowed with a bright yellow light. She yanked his shirt collar up so that he was kneeling in front of her. "And if you EVER touch me again, I swear on Helios that I will turn your purple skin into flower petals and pick each bloom off one by one until all your flesh is scattered into the breeze and you're exposed before everyone, burning your own muscle by the sun you carry. Do you understand?" Persephone tilted his chin up. "I said do you understand?"

Apollo's eyes widened in horror. He nodded silently.

Persephone stared daggers of hate into his eyes. With her free hand she slid in his pocket and pulled out his phone. She crushed it in her palms. The glass splintering her skin, but she didn't care. "And if you EVER pull this shit again on anyone else, please know that I have my own arsenal of every natural poison and acid and I would love to experiment on what they would do to such a pretty face." She scratched his cheek with a thorn that had wrapped around her wrist, forming bracers on her arm. "Okay, pumpkin?"

He nodded, terrified.

Persephone straightened out, letting go of Apollo who collapsed on her bed of flowers. He was immobile and unstable. Just as she said, the wolfsbane slowed down his heart so low that he fell unconscious.

She shook her hair out, careful not to graze her own skin with her bracers made of thorns. Instead of a flower crown her fingers touched a tiara made of bark and twigs. Blood from her hand dripped down her forehead. She fumed silently, ripping the bottom of her dress to make a bandage for her hand. She stormed out behind the hedge back towards the fountain. Kneeling by the water feature she dropped the broken phone into the calm water, then dipped her hand into it, letting it carry away the gold ichor. After shaking out her hand, she appraised her arms.

"That's new." She twisted her forearms. The bracers of thorns didn't hurt. She touched one of the points with the tip of her finger. "Sharp." She winced. She stared at her reflection. The girl staring back at her was wild, untamed, and savage. Nature finds a way to survive. Even weeds can live under the pressure of concrete on top of them. No one asks if nature belongs. It finds a way. It grows. It adapts. It changes.

She stared at the thorns again. Then she laughed. Deep in her belly found humor in her situation. Laughing at everything this disaster of a night turned into. Laughing at Hephaestus, laughing at Eros who kept egging her on, laughing at Hades and Apollo and Minthe, and all of it.

She sighed and turned her back on the cool stone of the fountains edge. She opened her eyes and stared right into the glowing red eyes of Hades.

She nodded, of course he would be here. Of course. Of course.

"Kore?" He started, but she shook her head at him.

"I really don't want to do this right now." She massaged her temples.

"Are you okay?" He stood up, his eyes darting back to her hand and the blood on her face.

"No." She sighed warily. "I don't want to talk to you right now. I don't want to say something I'll come to regret. Please." She held her hand up.

"I-I understand." Hades paused then returned to the bench.

"Give me a moment." She breathed.

"Take your time." Hades clasped his hands, his eyes full of concern and something else.

After a moment, Persephone stretched her head from side to side and pressed her palms up to the sky. She waltzed over to Hades and slumped in the empty spot next to him. "How long have you been sitting here?" She asked, knowing full well that an unconscious Apollo was snoozing on the other side in her bed of wolfsbane.

"Awhile." Hades said.

"Ah." She fiddled with the exposed threads of her hem. "Hades, I don't think we should see eachother again." She said slowly, not looking up to see Hades pained expression. "Listen, I don't care who you. . . associate with. But If Minthe speaks that way to me again, I can't promise I can just walk away next time."

"Please, I'm sorry about Minthe. I didn't know she was coming."

"You lied." Persephone accused, but she didn't say it with any malice. She was tired and just wanted the truth.

"I did. I'm sorry." Hades bowed his head. A beat passed. "It's over. Minthe and I. For real. It's been over for a long time but I just never could. . . I never could end it until I saw you stand up to her tonight."

Persephone laughed darkly. "I didn't stand up. I just walked out."

"No, you were very brave and I'm terribly sorry to put you in that situation."

"You didn't put me in any situation. It just. . . it is what it is." Persephone shrugged.

"You handled it with much more maturity than any goddess I know." Hades sighed. "And you shouldn't have had to."

"You're right. I shouldn't have." Persephone leaned back onto the bench.

"Can I ask you something?" Hades asked, staring at her from the side.

"Is it your personal question?" She raised her eyebrow.

"No." Hades shook his head. "Not personal."

"What then?"

"Is Apollo really knocked out on the other side of this hedge."

Persephone laughed. "So you did hear that, huh."

"It was terrifying."

"Good." Persephone grinned then her face fell and she groaned. "When he wakes up he's going to kill me."

"No. He won't." Hades shook his head. "I'll take care of him."

"I can take care of myself." Persephone glared up at him.

"I know. I know." Hades grinned. "I said I'll take care of _Apollo_. Congratulations. You've just joined the All Day Haters club."

"Oh, there's a club?"

"Meetings every first thursday."

"Really?" Persephone tilted her head.

"No." Hades smiled.

"Oh." She laughed. "It's getting late."

"Yeah, I should probably leave before. Well. Before the after party starts. Do-" He paused. "Do you have a ride home?"

She nodded. "Eros."

"Ah." He nodded. "So. . . you and Eros. Are you?"

"No." She shook her head. "Just friends. He's in love with a mortal and I'm trying to help him."

"I see." He nodded.

"So, you and Minthe. It's. It's really. . ."

"Over? Yes."

"And there's no one else?"

"No."

Persephone hummed.

"Did you mean it?" Hades brushed his hands across his face. "Did you mean it when you said we shouldn't see each other anymore."

"I don't know." Persephone sighed and curled her foot under her. "I'm not sure if I can trust you." Her words came out in a rush. "You-you broke my heart, Hades. I- I meant what I said to Minthe. I think she's wrong. I'm not just a silly little village girl with her dumb flowers. I'm a survivor. I can thrive anywhere I want, your side, included."

His face melted. "Oh, Kore." He hid his head into his hands. "Can. . . can I start over? Can we start over?"

Persephone laughed. "What? Want me to get drunk again and wind up in the back of your car?"

"That doesn't sound so bad." Hades smiled ruefully.

"This isn't a fairytale, Hades. This is real. We can't just wish everything didn't happen."

Hades nodded solemnly.

"But, you can take me to dinner." She looked up at him with big doe eyes. "If you ask nicely."

Eros glided over head quietly. He lost track of time. His mother was satisfied with her games tonight and agreed to let Psyche go on a couple of conditions that she would explain "at a later date" which meant when she was sober and not horny, so it might be longer than he could bare. Still, it was hopeful.

It was time to take Persephone home. Inside, the crowd was already getting handsy. He lost his shirt somewhere in the mass of bodies. He was trying to be good, truly. He spotted her, a bundle of pink. A dark blue shadow beside her. The scene below him made him pause and something wet filled his eyes. He watched as Hades pulled his car up to the back entrance, away from the hubbub and prying eyes. Hades opened the door for Persephone who glided in. His phone buzzed as the car drove out of sight.

 _Persephone: Thanks for the invite and for trying to wingman me. Don't worry about me. I found a ride._

* * *

 **An: Thanks for reading! Your feedback really helps me out! I love to check my inbox and see that someone has enjoyed something I wrote.**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	4. Peace Offering

One little one shot for Lore Olympus.

Summary: Athena and Aphrodite have brunch at their usual spot but someone new crashes their party.

* * *

Peace Offering

* * *

Athena sipped on her bloody Mary in one hand and in the other propped open a book, flipping a page every so often. It was a gorgeous morning, as it always was on Olympus. Her eyes flitted up, constantly appraising her surroundings. Strategies constantly formed and changed in her mind. Always thinking two steps ahead. The exits were limited, a large gated fence enclosed the outside seating area. The gate was on the other end, the length of the pillars to her temple on the mortal realm. At walking pace it would take 10 seconds to reach it, running depending on top speed, maybe 4 seconds. There was an entrance into the main restaurant immediately behind her, where a server occasionally appeared to refill her water and ask if she needed another bloody sun would be at a 90 degree angle by the time she arrives. If she sat thirty degrees to the east, the sun would be in both their eyes. Sitting here, they would both be cooled in the shade. _Unless of course_. . . the reasoning continued.

There was never any threat. Athena just got bored and played games with herself until her head hurt and the bloody mary was just dregs of tomato juice at the bottom of her glass.

"Sorry I'm late. There was traffic." Aphrodite sashayed over to Athena's table. She pulled out the chair Athena gave 88% probability to her choosing. Athena lifted her eyes from her book, first to her watch, then to Aphrodite's wrist, then her neck.

"You're right on time. Exactly when I expected you. If you had been at home, then yes, you would be late, but given that you spent the night at my brothers last night, you're right on time."

"How-?" Aphrodite dropped her over large handbag onto the table with a plunk.

"Your not wearing your wedding ring, which I know you take off when you get bored with your husband. Your wearing a scarf, which you never wear because it covers up your cleavage, unless you have something else your hiding, a hickey, I'm imagining, probably on your left side, because I know my brother favors his right. And there's no traffic on Ironside, but they are doing construction currently on Victory road, in front of Ares' home. Shall I continue?"

Aphrodite almost smiled, but hid it in fake rage. "God's, no. Stop. Just keep it to yourself."

"I have nothing to gain from your affair." Athena said evenly.

"Good." Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Will you let me know if that ever changes?"

"If it changes, then I doubt I'd give you a fair warning." Athena shrugged. "Depends on the situation, I suppose." Athena leaned back, and Aphrodite smiled knowing she was imagining all the possibilities. She loved Athena. She didn't have to compete with her and she loved Athena for her rationale. It calmed her down. There weren't many people Aphrodite felt like she could have real conversations with, without her pride and ego getting in the way, or her cleavage and good looks distracting her company.

"Is Hera joining us? I'd thought she'd be here already."

"Couldn't make it. Had to take care of business with Zeus. She sends her love."

Aphrodite frowned. "That's probably my fault. I think she's angry with me."

"Oh? Why?" Athena finally put her book down.

"It's complicated." Aphrodite leaned back and waved at a passing waiter. "Mimosa please dear. Just bring a pitcher of it."

"I think I can handle it." Athena tilted her head.

"Someone said something about someone putting me to shame." Aphrodite gestured with her hand lamely.

"And you reacted irrationally because you're afraid that if you don't have your looks, you have nothing and that fear drives you to behave in ways set off chain events that start to snowball out of your control, but the chaos makes you feel more powerful."

"You're not my shrink." Aphrodite frowned. "But sure, fine. Maybe."

Athena shrugged the comment to the side. The waiter came out and poured their drinks. Like promised a large pitcher of mimosa appeared and Aphrodite helped herself. "Was it Hera?"

"No." She sipped her mimosa.

"Then why would Hera be upset with you?"

"If I tell you, you're just going to tell my story back to me but in a way that makes me feel bad." Aphrodite sighed and looked up past her eyelashes. "Oh shit."

"What?"

"Ten o'clock. But don't look. Keep your head down."

Athena ignored her and looked up to see the door to the business across the street swing shut. She blinked. She was certain there weren't trumpet vines crawling up the side of the lot beforehand.

"Hi!" Persephone walked up to the counter. "Are they ready?"

"Hello Ms. Persephone." A wood nymph smiled brightly as she bowed deeply before her. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Persephone, but one of them was causing us difficulties." She paused and adjusted her ball cap embroidered with a large paw print. "Um. I mean, I'm sorry. We handle all our clients with care which is why we are running late, please forgive us." She winced while giving the news.

"Oh. That's no problem." Persephone shrugged. "No worries."

"R-really?" The nymph bowed again. "Oh, thank you Ms. Persephone. It shouldn't be too long now."

"I'll check back in a bit." Persephone waved. Before she opened the door, she saw two figures sitting down to brunch across the street. Athena, a frequent guest at her mother's house and the next woman she only knew by association. Persephone tilted her head back and forth and tapped her feet.

"Is anything the matter, ma'am, er, miss?" The nymph asked nervously.

"Nah." Persephone shrugged. "Actually." She spun around, her eyes bright with an idea. "Do you have any tissue paper?"

A few minutes later Persephone emerged, and made a bee line over to the porch. She opened the gate and crossed the distance to the table on the other end. It only took her 10 seconds as Athena had predicted.

"Hi! You're Aphrodite right?"

She turned slowly towards Persephone, her hair moving out of the way as if a fan was blowing at the perfect angle.

"Yes." She batted her eyelashes.

"Hi. I think we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Persephone. Here." Her pink arms reached out, offering a bouquet of new bright red and pink flowers, tied up and bound in paw print sheeting. "This is for you."

"For me?" Aphrodite blinked, her hands tentatively touching the wrappings.

"Yes, well. I'm so enamoured by your beauty. You're the most gorgeous person I've ever seen. It inspired me." Persephone grinned. "I created these for you. Inspired by you."

Aphrodite took the bouquet and studied them, a blush growing under skin. "Created?"

"Roses. I call them roses. The curves- the way it's shaped here - reminds me of you. This flower. . . it's going to represent love and romance. For years to come, mortals will give each other these flowers to show their affection for each other and when they do, they will be reminded each time of you."

"They're." Aphrodite smiled, her fingers tracing the petals. "So soft." She glanced up at Athena who simply observed the seen in stony silence, but a twitch of acknowledgement turned the corner of her lip up.

Aphrodite stood up and smelled them. "They smell so sweet."

Persephone leaned back and forth on her heels. "Do you like them?"

"I-" Aphrodite's eyes popped open. "I love them. This is beautiful, Persephone." She looked down at the goddess of spring with an odd mix of confusion and delight. "I don't underst-"

"I just want you to know that I harbor no ill will towards you. I hope that what transpired. . . well, I hope that I haven't done anything to offend you. And that you can forgive me if I have. But that I'm not mad. And I think the world of you. And I hope you like your flowers."

"What transpired?" Athena raised her eyebrow. This was one of the "someone"s and assuming by how cute and adorable and kind Persephone is, clearly, she was the one being compared to Aphrodite.

"You're very sweet, Persephone." Aphrodite pinched Persephone's cheek lightly. "I can see why he likes you."

"He-who?" Athena huffed. It wasn't often that she was caught unawares.

The red in Persephone's cheeks just grew redder and moved down to her throat as well. "I'm not looking for an apology. I'm really not mad. There's-there's nothing to apologize for."

Aphrodite turned towards Athena. "I may have put Persephone in the back of Hades car drunk the other night after Zeus's party."

Athena's expression didn't change as she stood up and looked past Aphrodite and reached out to Persephone. "Poor child. Poor sweet child, you must have been so scared. The underworld, really, Aphrodite? You must have been terrified. Last time I was there Cerberus nearly chewed my throat out and I haven't been back since."

"Cerby?" Persephone grinned and waved the concern away. "Naw. You just gotta learn how to love him right. He's not scary at all. Not scary at all."

Aphrodite's eyebrows arched, not sure if she was talking about the dog or the god.

"Well, I don't mean to intrude on your morning. I just wanted to say. . . that you're beautiful and please, enjoy the roses."

"Persephone." Aphrodite shook her head, struggling to figure out how to say "I was wrong."

"You have a good kid." Persephone picked up on her hesitation steam rolled ahead. "He's extremely sorry. He made a bad mistake. He knows it. But he's a good kid and. . . I believe in second chances. Don't you?"

Aphrodite stood motionless for a second. "I suppose so. Yes." She said quietly before bringing the bouquet up to her nose again and inhaling deeply. "The flowers are lovely."

A waitress pulled up behind Persephone. "Oh, do I need to get you something to drink?"

"No, no. I have to go. It was nice to finally meet you, Aphrodite. Athena." She nodded. "Nice to see you again. Thank you for your time." Persephone left, with a graceful twirl. She swung away back towards the gate, like a maple seed dancing down from the branches.

Athena tutted at Aphrodite's stunned silence and opened her book again. "I like her." She announced after a moment.

Aphrodite sighed and slumped back in her chair. "I like her too." She admitted grudgingly. She smelled the flowers again and smiled.

"She's smart. She's very smart." Athena nodded approvingly. "She's very mature for her age. The way she handled what you did to her? I've never seen such grace and poise." Athena kept her next thought to herself. _She played you like a fiddle._

From her seat, cross legged and contemplating, Aphrodite watched Persephone duck back into the shop.

"I underestimated her." Aphrodite sighed. In a moment, Persephone emerged with 6 dogs tethered together to two leashes, one in each hand.

"No, no." Athena shook her head. "You didn't estimate or consider her at all. I should hope you don't make that mistake again."

While always keeping an eye on her surroundings, Athena flipped to the next page. "You're too good at what you do, you know."

"What do you mean?" Aphrodite placed her hand on her hip.

Athena spoke over the top of her book, "Even when you're trying to be spiteful, you're still ever the matchmaker. You can't stop it. Not even when you try." Athena smiled as six dogs of all shapes and sizes tried to keep pace with Persephone down the street. Even the small white one was obliging.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Aphrodite started to get so frustrated she even put her phone on the table.

Athena shrugged as she measured the weight of her words. "I gain nothing by telling you." She continued reading. She waited until Aphrodite made a hurt huffing sound. "But I don't think you have to get Persephone drunk to get her into the back of Hades car. She can find her way herself."

A moment later a familiar roar of an engine ripped through the quiet morning, scaring a few birds off from their branches. A telltale sign of one of Hade's fleet of vehicles was coming through.

"Speak of the devil." Aphrodite looked up, almost fearful. Persephone was nice and kind. But the king of the underworld might not be so forgiving. "You have an exit strategy?"

"Always. But you don't need one." Athena sipped on her cup of water, the cunning smile never leaving her lips.

A matte black SUV cadillac pulled up to the intersection, waiting at the red light. Every black tinted window was rolled down. At each opening, a dog's head peered out, slobbering on the outside of the car. Their coat shiny and well groomed, a bow around each of their collars.

As they stared, a small white one jumped he's feet up on the passenger side window and barked maniacally at them.

"Cordon Bleu!" Persephone disciplined from the drivers side. "Manners!"

Cordon continued to bark aggressively.

Persephone sighed. "See. Cerby isn't the scary one. It's this one you gotta watch out for." She pulled Cordon Bleu away from the window and set him in the back seat. The light changed green. Persephone waved at Athena and Aphrodite, not taking for granted Aphrodite's shocked expression. "Bye!" She called warmly, turning left and then out of sight.

Aphrodite took a big gulp of the mimosa, contemplating what she saw. Hades never lets anyone drive his cars. Not his carriages. Not his chariots. Not his horses. She then grinned and brushed her hair up. "I am good."

Athena laughed from her belly and they continued their traditional brunch.

* * *

 **AN: Cerberus did not go to the groomers because he has to stay to guard Hades. But Persephone absolutely got him a big treat. Enough for three heads to enjoy on their return.**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	5. The Trial of Apollo

Another one shot for Lore Olympus.

Summary: Apollo is brought before the three kings to stand trial for his crimes.

* * *

Trial of Apollo

(CW: mention of drugs and violence)

* * *

Before dawn, Hermes flew to every door, every place of business, every home and car in all three realms, depositing purple invitations at each stop. As morning breached the horizon, the streets of Olympus remained quiet. The shops were closed. Not a god or goddess, nymph or gorgon were in sight. Artemis arrived back from the mortal realm, noticing the odd stillness. Persephone was usually up by now getting ready for her job in the underworld, but the kettle wasn't boiling, the shower wasn't on. Not even a trace of flower petals on the couch.

"Persephone." Artemis's mind went to the worst. It wouldn't be the first time she had disappeared. She charged to the front door as if hoping to see a certain dark car carry her away. She sighed and closed the door, but something purple flew up with the breeze and lodged itself between the door and the threshold. "What's this?" The paper slid out easily into her hand.

 _You are humbly invited to attend the trial of Apollo, god of the sun._

 _Olympus Arena_

 _8am_

 _Doors open at 6am. Seating is first come first serve._

The crowd filling the arena talked loudly, muttering to each other about what they were doing here. Most were curious. Some were just glad to have an excuse to have a few hours off work. The hum was infectious. A buzzing of bees.

Someone was trying to cut in line.

"Get back. No cutting." A wood nymph held her hand out. She looked back to see Aphrodite glaring at her. "I mean, sorry. I didn't realize it was you." She bowed her head.

Aphrodite crossed her hands and stalked over to her son, Eros who was hovering above the highest section. "Hey. What's going on?"

Eros shrugged, he surveyed the arena beneath him. "Apparently, Apollo is to be judged for some crime today." The dirt and sand floor was recently watered down, to keep the floor compact. It had been smoothed out from the last fight. The stands were stacked up surrounding the pit like an oval. No bad seat in the house.

"Why here? In the Arena?" Aphrodite huffed.

"Beats me." Eros saw at the front VIP box, large chairs being moved in. "Huh." Six seats. "If this is a trial, I'm not sure why we're here. They could have just done this in the temple like normal." Eros tapped his chin. "Six seats." He pondered and then looked around the arena. Nearly everyone on and off olympus had shown up. He gasped. Not just Olympus. Mermaids and river nymphs from the ocean kingdom were wrangling their tails into the chairs on the opposite side. Even more perplexing, agents from Hades were here too. Eros' jaw dropped. Victors from Elysian fields were shifting in and out of their chairs having trouble maintaining a corporal form outside of Hades. "Holy shit." Aphrodite blinked, following his gaze.

The crowd suddenly fell silent as someone appeared from the front, grand entrance. Hecate and Amphitrite walked arm and arm into the VIP box, shown to them by one of Zeus's waitstaff. Low murmerings followed after a few seconds, whispers echoed across the arena.

Amphitrite yawned. "It's too early for this."

Hecate's eyes darted back and forth, not liking all the eyes that were on her now. "I don't like this. I'm usually making morning announcements right now. I need more coffee."

Hebe appeared just then with a mug of black coffee. "Black coffee. . . with a splash of rum."

"I could eat you up." Hecate grinned at Hebe, who smiled, but her little eyes widened. "I won't actually eat you."

"Right." Hebe laughed nervously then turned towards the other guest.. "Amphitrite. Protein shake with a shot of caffeine?"

Hecate glanced over the section of visitors from Hades, the magic letting them stay here would wear off in a few hours and they'd have to back to the Underworld or. . . probably something terrible would happen. Still she thought it would be nice for them to have a field trip. After taking a few sips, Hecate leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. "What's taking them so long?"

Just then the door opened again and Hades and Poseidon appeared. The crowd cheered. Poseidon waved and the cheers grew louder. Hades ducked into the box, knowing the crowd's applause wasn't for him. He sat next to Hecate, his eyes cold and even. Calculating, but reserved, never showing his emotions. Yet Hecate knew him well enough to know something was brewing beneath the surface.

Poseidon jumped over the railing and cuddled up next to his wife then screamed into her ear. "WOH. I'm pumped!" He practically vibrated.

"Pumped for what?" Hecate leaned forward, to get a better view of the god of the sea.

"Should be quite a show." Poseidon grinned.

Amphitrite yawned again, completely uninterested. She was only here because Possy dragged her out of bed. Usually he was the one that dragged her into bed.

The crowd cheered again louder even than the first time and they didn't have to look to know that Hera and Zeus appeared from the doorway.

Zeus walked up to the front of the VIP box and picked up a microphone. He was wearing his formal robes this morning. "My friends!" Zeus smiled into the mic. "My family. And everyone else I love and … some I hate." The crowd chuckled. "Today I've gathered you here to be witnesses for the trial of Apollo." He paused dramatically. "Crimes of indecency, harassment, sexual misconduct, blackmail, theft and assault." He turned back towards the door and nodded at the attendants. Obliging, they opened the door. Out stepped Apollo. His hands were tied in front of him, but he seemed unphased. He smiled at the crowd as if they had all come to a party just for him.

The crowd, not knowing how to react to his presence turned to whispers.

"Apollo!" Zeus called out. "How do you plead?" Zeus, the charmer, the always up for anything guy, but now his face was stony and full of righteous power. The god of gods.

"Not guilty, your majesty!" Apollo answered. A few cheers of support wrangled out from the still not too sure audience.

"Very well." Zeus shrugged, knowing this would be his answer. "Then you shall prove your innocence in battle." He gestured to the arena.

Ares shoved his way to the front of his section and slapped his palm on the railing, his lips curled up to show a row of teeth, some of which had gone missing. Gods battling was always a thrill.

"And who will my adversary be?" Apollo glanced around. Whoever it was, they would be crushed.

"Nemesis?" Zeus nodded to a goddess on his left. Nemesis bowed and opened up a curtain.

"I have hand chosen a contender for you. If you prevail, you will be absconded from all charges. If you fail, you will serve three years as a slave to a human king of the mortal realm."

Apollo cracked his neck. "Bring it."

Hades raised an eyebrow and a frown pulled at his lips. "I thought the minotaur was going to fight him."

Zeus backed away from the mic. "Change of plan. We had a volunteer and I agreed." He winked at Hades then put his lips right on the mic.

"Ladies, gentleman, and every one or thing in between and beyond. Today you all have the honor of watching Apollo battle one of his greatest enemies!" Zeus's voice bolstered the crowd.

Apollo looked momentarily worried. The curtain raised. The crowd hushed as they leaned in, eager to see what monster was to come through the entryway.

"Persephone, goddess of spring!" Zeus threw his hand out, gesturing to the small pink beauty trekking into the limelight. Her body was wrapped up in shredded grey fabric, squeezing her in where she needed to be, and giving her mobility where she need to move. Her arms and hands were wrapped too, like a figher's. Her face was set. Her eyes, heartless as she gazed upon her opponent. She expected it when he laughed. His golden eyes crinkling with utter disbelief and hysterics. She expected it when Apollo shook his head and said that this would be too easy. She expected it when the crowd grew restless and unsure, they came for a reckoning, but they only saw a daisy before viper. She didn't expect Hades. He wasn't supposed to be here.

Hades immediately stood up and grabbed Zeus by the collar and swung him inside the VIP box.

"What the bloody Tartarus do you think you're doing?" His hands shook beside Zeus' head, struggling not to pound them together into his neck.

"Easy, Hades." Zeus knew there would be blow back. "She volunteered."

"But she-"

"Do we agree on something after all, Hades." Apollo spat. "That she can't stand up to me? Honestly. It's rude that you think she would even have a chance. I won't fight her."

"What, are you scared?" Persephone hissed looking at Apollo's forehead, seeing past it. Her lip curled up, teasingly.

"You're just a flower goddess. I could trample you." Apollo sneered back.

Persephone huffed, got on her knees and pounded her fist into the floor. When she arose, she broke the floor, pulling up a root so thick in Apollos direction he tripped and fell backward, unable to catch himself while his hands were tied up. He didn't notice the ripple through the arena behind him. Something moving underground.

"What the-" Apollo spat. "You're supposed to be spring, not ground."

"Plants are strongest rooted underground. It doesn't surprise me. You wouldn't understand what it means to have deep roots."

"My roots are plenty deep." Apollo countered.

"Really?" Persephone scoffed. "I've seen your root and it's much too shallow for you to brag."

Hecate bust out in a vicious laugh, completely drowning out the chortles and chuckles around them.

Apollo's eyes turned to slits. "You little-"

"No, yours is little. Or are you too stupid to understand what a metaphor is." Persephone brushed her hair off to the side, cooly.

"Fuck." Hecate slapped the side of her chair then leaned on it for support.

Apollo twisted in his handcuffs, agitation rippling through him. "How dare you. I'm gonna-"

"Fight me?" She stared up at him, no hint of hesitation or doubt. "Then fight me." She dared.

A moment passed, filled with hateful gaze between them. Apollo twitched. "This is a lose lose situation. If I lose, I lose obviously. If I win, then all of olympus sees me beat up the goddess of spring, half my size, then I'll still be a monster for tearing apart a butterfly."

"If you can catch me." Persephone smirked then looked at Zeus.

"These are the rules." Zeus continued. "No weapons. Use whatever you have in your power to overthrow the other. The winner will be whoever catches and subdues the other, offering them up here." Zeus pointed to the ground in front of him.

"Without weapons?" Apollo scrunched his face up. He never fought without his bow and arrow. "I suppose it'd be too easy. Fine." He flexed. "I don't need a bow and arrow to take you down. I could do this with my hands tied."

"Really." Persephone raised her eyebrow. She laughed, a short staccato breath. "You have such a small opinion of me. It's astounding." She walked closer to him, close enough that he could feel her breath on his chest. "You won't be walking out of this arena. They'll have to carry you on a stretcher. You're going to lose and I'll tell you why. You will be your own downfall. Your ego will destroy you and I will barely have to lift a finger as I watch you pull yourself apart. Your going to fall to your knees before me, begging for forgiveness. You won't know what hit you. And even though I've told you all of this, it won't make a difference, you can't change what's about to happen. You're too stubborn. Even now, you're not listening to a single world I say, only thinking of your own desires. That is your undoing. Here you will be undone." Persephone pulled away, nearly shoving him back as she did so.

"Are you ready?" Zeus asked.

"One sec." Persephone grabbed Apollo's wrists roughly. He didn't understand what she was doing until she had the rope tying his hands together in her palm. "When I defeat you, I want everyone to know I did it fairly. How a butterfly captured a bear."

"You talk a lot for someone that's about to be humiliated in front of the whole world."

"Then let's stop talking." Persephone unlaced her sandals and stepped onto the dirt floor arena with her bare feet. She splayed her toes out and grounded herself. It wasn't the soil from back home, but it would do. _Mom_ Persephone's thoughts wandered. If her mother saw her now, what would she think. Her focus slipped, thinking of home. Then see imagined the fire in Demeter's breath, the look in her eye, the ripples of anger on her skin.

For once, Persephone was proud to have Demeter's worst and most terrifying quality: unmitigated rage. But she had learned so much in the underworld. She learned how to control it, funnel it, fuel by it, not follow it.

As the crowd cheered, Persephone steadied herself. Blocking everything out. Blocking out the Kings and Queens behind her. Blocking out the people in the stand. Blocking out even the purple sun god glowering beside her.

She bowed to the ground, feeling the dirt turn to a cream beneath her warm hands. Sensing the pipeline of roots beneath their feet. Feeling the weight of Apollo to her left, noticing the change in pressure as he shifted his weight to his other foot. Creating a mental target. If she was going to pull this off, she had to do it the only way she can.

She was not Demeter. She was not Hades. Persephone was going to bring Apollo down on her own terms in her own way.

As she rose back up, Persephone wiped her fingers under her eyes, leaving a smudge of dirt like war paint. Apollo said something sarcastically but she didn't hear him. He was nothing now but a mass of moving flesh on her ground.

She walked towards the middle of the arena, not looking back and stood on the x for her start position. She closed her eyes and controlled her breathing.

Apollo took his place next. Confidence seeping into his swagger past the crowd.

"Are the contestants ready?" Zeus asked back into the mic.

"Ready." Persephone and Apollo answered. Apollo posed, ready to dash, his muscles flexing, like a cat ready to pounce.

Persephone on the other hand seemed relaxed, as if she merely stopped on a stroll through the park to admire some ducklings on a quaint pond. Her face soft, her hands open. Not the posture of a fighter getting into battle.

Hades balled his fist. "I can't watch this." His head fell onto his knees. "Damn you, Zeus." Images of Persephone falling, hurt, damaged, broken flooded his head and tore at his heart.

The trumpet sounded the start of the battle.

Apollo charged. This would be over in three seconds.

Persephone sighed, her breath lingering in the air. Her eyes still closed. At the last second, she spun gracefully to the side, her hands like a ballerina. Apollo had to roll to avoid crashing into the wall. His side just scraped by. He cursed under his breath.

While Apollo collected himself, Persephone kept twirling. Where her feet touched, sprouts of vegetation appeared. Green appeared where there wasn't before.

Apollo reared back, ready for round two. This time he knew her tactics. He charged at her again, but this time she faked her dodge, and ducked instead, using her arms to launch him onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling of the coliseum. "What the-"

Persephone never stopped moving. He chased her a few more times, roaming the entire arena. All the while more and more of the dirt turned to grass. The grass turned to fledgling flowers. Their bright green stems reaching up.

"You said you wanted to fight. So fight!" Apollo yelled. He could hear the laughter each time his grasp on her was thwarted. He was done with her games. "You can't run forever."

"I'm not running." Persephone smiled. The floor of the arena turned red. This wasn't an arena anymore, but a field of bright red flowers.

"You think I'm scared of flowers?"

Persephone didn't respond. Bushes grew underneath the flowers. Dark green, soft, with leaves like a small hand. He stepped on as many as he could, hoping to piss her off. He wasn't charging anymore. The more he ran, the further she got away. No. He was just going to walk up to her and grab her, dragging her back to Zeus to claim his victory. He didn't need speed. He had strength ten times that of Persephone.

 _This wasn't enough._ Persephone frowned. She closed her eyes and felt his weight in her garden.

"Now." Persephone grimaced. Her hands turning to balls at her side. Roots bulged out of the ground, catching Apollo off balance.

Vines wrapped around his foot holding him down. He caught himself by his hand, his feet in a weird position. The vines found his hands too. Trapping him down. Roots unfurled, opening up the ground, pulling him towards the underworld.

The crowd was stunned. Was this it?

But then Apollo laughed. "Cute." He smirked. "I think you're forgetting that I can use my power too." Apollo's skin began to hum. Steam began to rise. An angry growl began to grow from his core.

Persephone backed away, her feet carrying her out of the field she had created. Her back hit the wall of the arena.

"Did you forget who I am?" Apollo laughed maniacally. "You're powers only work because of me. You're blossoms only thrive because of me. I am the reason you have any purpose at all. I am the god of the sun and you will bow down before me."

His purple skin ripped apart, revealing the surface of the sun. Slow powerful flames licked at his body. The thorns, the vines, the roots, all shriveled up, burning everywhere he touched.

"I will destroy you!" Apollo raged, his arms flinging out like the lashing of the sun. The fire spread. Everything was connected. The green bushes started to burn, the red flowers started to melt. Persephone's garden was collapsing, burning up into ash.

Persephone didn't bat an eye. She watched her garden burn, eyes lifeless.

"Persephone!" A voice behind her called out. The only voice that broke through her otherwise impenetrable focus. She blinked and looked back to see Hades leaning forward. "You can surrender. Please. You don't have to keep going." His forehead was sweating, his face was begging.

Her stomach dropped and she whipped around, ignoring him. She watched as the entire arena filled with a thick smoke.

A sick smile grew on Persephone's lips as the fire reflected in her eyes. "Why would I give up, when I've just won."

"Persephone." Hades begged again, his arm so close he almost touched her shoulder. "You can't fight fire with flowers."

"Watch me." She kicked off from the wall and moved around the edge of the burning field. She stopped at another column and grew a peach right into her palm. She ate it slowly, unhurried, letting the juices drip down her chin. The sweetness cooling her off from the heat of the arena. She eyed Apollo, somewhere in the middle, a shadowy demon amongst the flames. He was waiting too. Waiting for her to give up just when things were heating up. She threw the pit into the stands and wiped her hands onto her thighs. Any second now.

Methodically, Persephone began removing one of the wraps on her arms and began to cover her mouth and nose with the fabric. She checked to make sure there weren't any gaps, breathing through her hand at first before trusting her mask. She pulled her hair back, twisting it up high, and keeping it in place with a clasp made of thorns.

The arena filled with dark black smoke as the fire had turned all it could into burning embers on the floor, smouldering and smoking.

Apollo began to laugh again. Not maniacally. Not with rage. Not with sarcasm. He. . . was giggling. A higher soft laugh like a schoolgirl. The surface of the sun dimmed, flickering back down to his purple self. He collapsed to his knees and scooped up a pile of burned ashes in his hand. "Ooopsy. I did something naughty." He wheezed, his exuberant breath blowing into the ash and catching in the wind. "Weeeeeeeee." He leaned forward and started giggling again trying to catch the ash back into his hand.

Persephone stepped back into what was her field. The bottom of her feet turned grey. The smoke still lingered in the air. Persephone kept her eyes shut and carefully breathed through her mask. She found his weight, shifting back and forth as he swayed on his knees.

"Heeeeey. Persephone!" He spoke in a weird speech pattern, not a hint of aggression. "You know, I wish you could be me. It feel so good to be me." He sighed. "What are you doing here again? Did you want another round? I know I left in a hurry, but let's be honest, you're not very good in bed. You hardly moved at all." He started giggling again.

From beneath the ashes, new growth arose directly under him.

He continued, not noticing. "You're so cute. But it's such a shame you don't know what to do with your body." After a moment of looking at the hazy figure of Persephone he opened his mouth to say something witty again but all that came out was "Boobs." When he looked up again. His bow and arrow were in front of him.

"What? Oh, Hey friends. I've missed you." He picked up the bow and arrow.

"I'll make this easier for you. You have one shot. Make it count." Persephone whispered. Apollo jerked around. "Hey, where did you go?"

He blinked, trying to see through the smog, both in his brain and in front of him. "Oh right. I'm supposed to be destroying you." Slowly, Apollo got up onto his feet. So uncoordinated he almost didn't make it. He nocked the arrow out of muscle memory, not even realizing what he was doing. This was second nature to him. He could do this in his sleep. Persephone's ego would be the end of her this time. He could slay anyone, anywhere with it and he wouldn't have to try.

"Are you hiding?" Apollo raised the bow and pointed it out in front of him. Then behind him. "Come out, come out, little pinky." He giggled. "It'll be over soon. And then we can take a nice nap. Doesn't that sound good. I might even let you take a nap with me. No hard feelings, right?"

He tripped on a root, but swung up before he fell. "You have some cute tricks. But you've never had blood on your hands before have you." He still couldn't see her. He only had one arrow. It was more than enough, but he had to make it count. He held his breath and listened. The floor still crackled and popped from the dying embers. The sound disoriented him. Every crack was a foot step. Every hiss was Persephone whizzing past him just out of sight.

"Come on, Persephone. Let's end this. Show yourself." He heard something to his left, he quickly aimed, but held the string to his lips. Nothing there.

Laughter seemed to emanate around him. Paranoia started to sink in. His forehead beaded with sweat. His heart began to pound until he couldn't hear past it. "COME ON!" He yelled. His fingers shook. "Where are you?"

Laughter again rung in his head. "STOP!" He yelled, but it only made it worse. "What are you doing to me?" His fingers lost their grip. He tried to get his strength back but he just couldn't get his fingers to cooperate.

"BEHIND YOU!" Someone in the crowd yelled.

He flipped on his heels at the suggestion and held out his bow instead like a sword. Nothing there.

The laughter continued.

Apollo screamed in frustration. He kept turning on his feet. Not seeing anyone in the arena. Something was wrong. Something was wrong. She had done something to him and he couldn't shake it off. He stared at his feet, and somehow he felt like he was growing 10 times and shrinking to the size of a peanut. He blinked but he couldn't shake it.

Persephone danced behind him, one hand to her back, the other palm out following his movement, so close she could feel the warmth of his skin on hers. Each time he turned she stepped, one foot ahead of him. Out of sight. His sluggish movements only making it easier. In the mortal realm she would frequently play this game with much more astute and conscious humans. Following them around when she was bored. Her feet moved lightly, barely touching the ground, the soft ash, hiding any sound of her footfalls. The mask serving two purposes, but right now they stopped her breath from alerting Apollo of her presence.

From the VIP box, they all started. "Looks like she's picked up a few tricks from the Unseen One." Poseidon winked at Hades.

Hades eyes never left Persephone. He watched her footwork, her fluid movements. "Her technique is impeccable." He muttered under his breath. He felt something like pride swell in his chest. "She didn't learn that from me." His mouth twitched with delight. "She's using him against himself. She knew exactly what he would do. She knew he would fight with fire. She used that against him." He leaned forward, all doubt and worry tossed to the side. "She's incredible."

"Poppies and pot." Hecate sneered. Those red flowers weren't just any type of flower. The green bushes too. They were harmless until burnt and inhaled. Together creating quite the cocktail of drugs.

Apollo started to lose it, the fumes were causing his head to hurt. Then his whole body hurt. Not aching like after a tough match or a long work out. His skin started to burn. Not from the heat of his sun. He scratched his arm. But that only made it worse. "What-" Apollo panted. The sweat pooling on his skin agitated it worse. "What is this."

He began to itch everywhere. He threw down the bow and arrow, so he could use both hands to scratch. His neck, his head, tje back his legs. His feet. "AH." He yelped. The bottoms of his feet were the worst. He fell to his knees. "Stop. Stop." He could find no release. Itching made it feel better for such a short amount of time. His mellow, and his paranoia, now mingled with a torturous pain. Already in a stupor he didn't realize that he had been kneeling in a patch of poison ivy earlier.

Persephone whispered behind him. "Hurts, doesn't it."

He huffed. Gathered himself to his feet, picking up the bow and arrow and shot directly behind him. He turned to see the arrow lodged into the wall behind him. He only managed to pin a single petal to the wall. Persephone was gone.

Purple plants began to wrap around his ankles. His brain was losing it. He looked across the field and all he could see were ants. Ants the size of buses. Their mandibles clicking like thunder. Somehow they were on him. Eating him alive. Crawling on his insides. Fluttering under his skin. Chomping at his toes like leaves.

He wasn't in the arena anymore. He was alone. He was dying. There was no sun. The sun had swallowed everything he ever loved and collapsed. He had failed everyone. His existence was burnt out with rage. Not even stars in the sky kept him company. The bugs kept eating away at his flesh. Forever.

Even the agents of Hades winced. Though they were no stranger to torment and the cries of the damned, Apollo's exultations were excruciating. Persephone watched coldly as he writhed uselessly. She gained no pleasure from this. She got her vengeance but what did she become in the process.

Persephone stepped towards the VIP box. "It's over." The cries of Apollo were exasperated, breathy, torturous. They filled the arena with despair and pain, mingling with smoke as if they carried his pain with them.

Zeus stepped forward. "You have to bring him here."

Apollo's eyes flashed open. For a second, seeing past the darkness. Her voice. It shook him out. Rage filled his eyes with red. He had one last shot.

He charged towards her, his head flinging wildly, unable to support it properly. His legs moved like heavy weights. His arms dragging behind him.

Persephone didn't bat an eye- didn't flinch-didn't back away. Apollo lunged at her with his hands outstretched. Just before he could close around his neck, roots caught his ankle, vines whipped around his middle, and thorns clamped down around his wrists, tightening together, pulling him down to his knees.

He bowed before Persephone. Sinking into the ground. Screams still coming forth from his lips, echoing in his head as they did in the arena. "Please. Make it stop. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Make it stop."

It was over. She turned her back to the kings, shoving Apollo's face into the dirt with her foot on his back and stared down the audience. Her hair fluttered down from her clip in the wind and everyone knew that Persephone was a great and terrible goddess.

"The victor." Zeus grabbed the microphone. "Persephone! Goddess of Spring."

The arena erupted in applause and cheers and baffled excitement. Cries of outrage intermingled, supporters of Apollo upset with the trial.

"Apollo. You have been weighed. You have been measured. And you have been found guilty by the trial of combat. You will be stripped of your immortality for three years. You will serve the mortal kings for the duration." Zeus covered the basis of Apollo's fate, though Apollo was in no condition to understand any of it in his state.

"Congratulations Persephone." Hera grinned.

She turned towards the kings. "Your majesties." She bowed deeply before them, not looking them in the eye. She removed the wrappings around her nose and mouth, tossing the strips on the floor. Without another word she stalked off towards the exit.

"Persephone!" Hades called to her, he jumped over the railing and followed after her.

She stopped. Her feet planted. Her arms folded.

"Persephone. That was amazing."

Without turning to look at him, Persephone said, "I quit."

"What?" Hades felt that his insides had been transported back to the Underworld without him.

"I quit. Find another intern. Someone you have better faith in." She continued walking, not daring to see the shocked and hurt look in Hades eyes.

"Persephone." Hades pouted.

She couldn't look back. Already her eyes were stinging and she couldn't stay here much longer. Her body was exhausted. She had overextending herself. If she looked back now, she would lose her nerve. She had won but she was starting to feel herself rip at the seams.

"I expected it from Apollo. I expected him to think I was too weak." She said bitterly. "I thought you were different." She cut him like a knife and then disappeared behind the curtain.

They were cheering her name. Hundreds maybe thousands. Chanting. Persephone.

Persephone.

Persephone.

Persephone.

She could hear it through the walls. She could hear it as the water from the shower head rinsed away the dirt and sweat from her body. Her limbs felt like jelly. Her brain felt like a bushel of thorns.

"Persephone?" A clear voice called out, not muddled by drunk gods through the walls of the colosseum.

Artemis knocked on one of the lockers next to the shower. Persephone turned to face her, completely naked, water still running down from her hair to her toes. She wasn't hurt, but her body had never been so physically exhausted. Her powers never put to such test.

"Persephone, why didn't you tell me?"

Persephone winced. The shower lever squealed as she turned it off abruptly. Ignoring her roommate, she stepped with heavy footfalls to her towel and began to dry off. As she wiped the water off her skin, she didn't feel like it was hers anymore. Lethargy made her body a stranger to herself. She could hear Artemis behind her. She could hear the crowd above her.

Persephone.

Persephone.

Persephone.

After pulling on a hoodie and yoga pants she exited into the lobby. Everyone wanted her attention. Everyone wanted a photo with her. Everyone wanted to ask her a million questions. The sunlight was bright now and her eyes closed, reacting harshly to it's light.

Hades stormed off to his car. Hecate lectured him enough and he knew where he had failed. He didn't need someone else to berate him about it. He was well aware of it himself. He stewed in his car with the keys in the ignition but not starting it. He banged his hands on the steering wheel. His leather gloves and the leather wheel clashed together with a soft WAP. He shook his arms as if to tear the steering wheel off. "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it."

He just didn't want to see her hurt. He was worried. Did he not believe in her? No of course he did. "I can't lose her." He whimpered into his gloves, then he leaned forward and crashed his head into the steering wheel. The car horn made a short honk.

"Mmm." Someone in his backseat rolled over. "Can you keep it down? I'm trying to sleep." A soft pink hand waved him off, then curled back to her chest as she rolled back over.

"Kore?" Hades eyes popped open wide. In the back seat was a bundle of soft fabric and flower petals, underneath was the victor of the Apollo trial.. "What are you doing here?"

"Sleeping." She hummed. Her voice groggy and muffled, wedged between the back seat. Hades stared at her through the mirror, absolutely dumbfounded. How did she even get in? After a moment, Persephone rolled back over. "I'm sorry. I was rude earlier."

"No. No." Hades shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for. The fault was mine. You were right. I should have supported you better. I never doubted your ability. . . I just didn't want you to get hurt."

Persephone sniffled and rolled back over. Hades tapped the steering wheel, wondering what to do. "I'll take you home."

A beat passed before she replied, "Do you have to?"

"Where would you rather go? You seem pretty tired."

Persephone sat up, her hair tangled down her shoulder as the hood on her hoodie fell to her back. She pouted. Sleep still heavy on her eyes. "They're afraid of me now aren't they?"

"Who?"

"Everyone."

"Yes."

"Good." Persephone sighed and wrapped her arms around her chest. "I'd rather be feared than pitied." A loud yawn escaped her lips.

"You didn't answer my question." Hades raised his eyebrow. "Tell me where you want to go. I can take you _home_ home if you want."

" _Home_ home?" Persephone blinked.

"The mortal realm. To your mother."

"Oh." Persephone stared out the window to the parking lot then her eyes slid back to Hades and then down to her hands. "I want-"

"Yes?"

"Can you. . . " Persephone hesitated not sure how to ask it. "Can I just. . . go home with you and pet your dogs. I'll be quiet. I won't bother you."

Hades heart skipped a beat. She wanted him to take her. . . home. The car engine started. Just for the dogs, or not, Hades wasn't going to question it now. Not when he was so close to losing her.

When they arrived at his mansion. Hades pulled Persephone out like the first night. Dead to the world. Her hands wrapped around his neck instinctively. Something was different now. Everything was different. In his arms, was not the helpless goddess, lost to the whims of others. In his arms, Hades carried the awful Persephone. A force to be reckoned with. A goddess not to be trifled with. In his arms, the King of the underworld knew he was carrying his queen.

 **Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think of them! Your feedback gives me the courage and strength to keep writing.**

 **xoxo - Goldie**


	6. War and Peonies: Part 1

**AN: I started writing this one shot. . . and I realized it's going to have to turn into a bit of a series. Right now it's a two parter, but we'll seeeeee.**

 **Summary:**

Persephone gets angry and turns to the only person she thinks could understand.

* * *

 **War and Peonies**

 **Part 1**

* * *

Two weeks ago:

"Mom. . . why do I have to go to bed." Hebe rubbed her eyes at the top of the stairs wearing a long purple striped dress. Her other hand was wrapped around the banister, refusing to leave.

"Because, sweet child. It's your bedtime." Hera knelt down on her level and kissed her cheek. "Be a good girl and brush your teeth and get in bed."

"But MOM." Hebe whined. "It's MY party." Hebe waved at all the balloons that read "Happy Birthday Hebe!" on them.

"It's an adult thing. You'll understand when you're older."

"BUT I AM OLDER." Hebe stomped. "I JUST TURNED NINE."

"Hebe." Hera stood up, not taking the insolence from her child. "Go to your room."

"But Ares hasn't come yet." Hebe hiccuped. "You said he was gonna come. You promised."

Hera sighed. "Your brother is in the middle of a war, Hebe. He said he would try, but I didn't promise you anything."

"HE PROMISED." Hebe's voice verged on the edge of tears.

Hera looked behind her, worried that her screaming child would interrupt the flow of the party. "Bed. Now." Hera demanded.

"Come on, Hebe." A low and rough voice said reassuringly. "I'll read you a bedtime story."

Hera turned to see Hebe wrap her little arms around Ares neck. He was on one knee and pressed his little sister into his chest, his formal military cap in his right hand. She fiddled with the medals on his pocket. "What's this one for?"

"Tickling." Ares replied without any hesitation and his fingers turned into claws. Hebe ran away, giggling and screaming back to her room.

"You came back?" Hera said, her face in shock.

"Just for a few hours." Ares said grimly. "Well, I got a bedtime story to read." Then he marched to the hallway behind the kitchen. He came back twenty minutes later and headed straight for the bar downstairs. The music blaring was too loud and he had to loosen his collar as the bass beats hit. Cannons blasted between his ears.

His eyes roamed over the guests as he sipped on straight whisky. He shouldn't have come. His men needed him. Even now their prayers echoed in his head, while he was . . . what? Lousing around, making airs, pretending with the other gods? It was good to see Hebe again. He promised her and he was good for his word. But he should go now. He wasn't one to stand around especially not in the middle of a siege that he'd been working on for four months. His toe started to fidget uncomfortably. The dress shoes felt like boxes on his feet. He should be wearing his combat boots. He finished his whisky.

"Mother. Father." He approached them and bowed curtly. "It was nice to see you."

"You can't leave. But you only just got here!" Zeus protested. Hera shrugged and sipped on her champagne, her eye sliding to the side. Then her eyes narrowed and a grin rose to the side of her face, like a cobra.

"Wait. There's someone I want you to meet!" Hera set her champagne down and then straightened Ares collar. She licked her thumb and tried to make the cowlick on Ares head lay flat. He had a permanent case of hat hair.

"Mother." Ares groaned. "Not this again." He glanced at Zeus who just smiled at him, completely oblivious to his wife's schemes.

"Persephone!" Hera called to a group of women huddled to the corner. A pink tulip poked her head out. Hera waved at her to come over.

Ares dropped two things, his jaw and his hat. The creature skipping towards him, had hips he could live on and breasts he could sleep soundly between. Something in him wanted to fold her, make her even smaller. . . watch her lips as they . . .

"Ares," Hera snapped him out of his thoughts. "I want you to meet Persephone."

He blinked and held out his hand formally, acutely aware of the raised scars he was offering up. "How do you do?"

Persephone however, her face fell as if looking at her enemy and she didn't accept his hand at all. "We've met." She turned away, her hair flipping to the side.

"Oh." Hera grumbled. _Well. Shit._

"No. I don't think so." Ares furrowed his eyebrows. "I would remember a face like yours."

"Really? Because it's so hideously ugly? I believe those were your words. Oh no. It was that I'm such a sore sight to look at, you'd rather be staring at the back side of a jackass." She remembered the day quite vividly. The first time a man sees a girl and objectifies her body is a moment they'll never forget. Especially if the words are cruel.

"What?" Ares backed away. Trying to remember a time when he ever told a pretty girl something so harsh.

"ARES!" Hera fumed. Of all the dumb things Ares had done and all the stupid shit he has said. . . to speak that way to a girl. She would tear him to pieces. She raised him better than that. Right? She did, didn't she?

"What? No. No. No." Ares shook his head, his tufts of hair jostling. "I said that just a few years ago to this child. More pig than girl really, she was so plain looking and. . ." He looked back up at Persephone. "And. . ." Persephone's eyes. "Oh shit."

"Ares. Go to your room." Hera rubbed her temples.

Persephone crossed her arms. "Wow." She nodded slowly, processing his words.

"I'm-" Ares faltered. "I didn't- I mean. You've. . . changed." Ares looked over her body again. "In a good way because let's be honest, you couldn't exactly get worse."

"ARES." Hera was this close to strangling. "LEAVE. JUST LEAVE."

"It's alright." Persephone shrugged. "Don't worry. I only get offended by people whose opinion is actually important."

"Oh good." Ares nodded relieved, not at all catching her tone.

"And that pig?" Persephone continued viciously, an ever present smile on her face. "She thought you were no better looking than a bale of hay."

She turned on her heels and walked away.

Ares looked on as her butt moved side to side. Then her words resonated, sinking through. "HEY WAIT A SECOND." His eyes glowed fiery. And his temple pulsed with anger. "Do you have any idea who I am!" He yelled, lunging forward. He didn't care how pretty someone was, they had absolutely no right to disrespect him. Him. Of all people. She would have to learn.

Persephone stopped mid walk and turned just as Ares was leaning forward with his arm about to grab her waist to spin her around. He froze. She bent over to cover the remaining distance between them and reach two hands gently on either side of his face. Women weren't the ones that grabbed first at him. He didn't budge.

Her fingers felt cool, like a fresh breeze. He could smell her, like honeysuckle on a warm summer evening. Her eyes shined up at him, sparkling with some secret. It reminded him of the stars twinkling on the mortal realm. Nights looking up on his back with the dirt behind him, the stars above him and the taste of rum on his lips. He forgot he was angry.

She laughed. Her face breaking out of its walled up expression. "I like you better like this." Persephone chuckled and without another word, turned and slowly stepped away.

He watched her, like a hawk, as her hips swayed like a dancer until she was out of sight. He cleared his throat.

He turned back to his mom. "What just happened?"

Ares took a few stuttering steps back to his cap that he left on the ground. He heard laughter but it didn't make sense so he tuned it out.

When he tried to place his hat, it wouldn't fit. It was only then that he noticed the flowers she had wrapped up into his hair. Little pink and white peonies forming a crown around his head. The laughter, suddenly echoed in his ear, louder than the music. Louder than the ever present cannons.

"Dammit!" He ripped the flower crown from his head. "Dammit!" He screamed again. He hated to look like a fool. Hated it worse than losing. At least there was honor in a hard battle fought. He crushed the flowers in his hand. Anger turning the petals limp as they fell to the floor. This is why he hated coming back to Olympus.

He slammed his hat back on his head and left the way he came in. Suddenly and without warning.

Present:

Ares crossed his arms to pull his shirt up and over him, tossing it on the floor. In the mirror, he didn't see himself but every battle fought. The wins, the losses. The glories, the defeats. The devastation and thrills all etched across him, mingling, touching each other connecting to make a map of his skin in blood.

Bloodthirsty. Wrath. Anger. War. Words that not only haunted behind him, but marched in front of him, preceding him. Everyone knew who Ares was. Everyone knew what Ares does. It helped, because he hated introductions. . . but know one ever tried to know him. It was better that way. Feelings only got in the way. Athena says he feels too much, but that's not true. He doesn't feel anything at all. . . does he? He posed and grinned at the mirror. Shooting finger guns. But his smile faltered, and the mirror cracked. He grunted, wrapped the towel around his neck, and headed out of the gym. Oh, that's right. Anger. Haunting after him and marching before him.

He picked up his phone from his gym back Leaning on the wall, he tapped the phone to his forehead before typing.

 _Hey. You up?_

A minute ticked by. Still no response. He sighed and started the shower, letting the scalding water wash away more than the sweat from his work out. Something about the heat made him feel new again. As if he could burn away his sins. Still, he looked the same, but for a moment he could feel different.

His phone buzzed while he was drying off.

Aphrodite: _You back in town?_

Ares smirked and wiped his hand across his face. He already knew where this was going. Like stars colliding.

Ares _: Just got back._

Aphrodite: _How did it go - the war or whatever it is that took you away for 4 months._

Ares _: I don't want to talk._

Aphrodite: _Me neither._

Ares: _Good. I'm coming over._

Quickly, Ares pulled on a hoodie and basketball shorts that he pulled off from the floor. He skipped the boxers. He'd be undressing again soon anyway. What's the point? He grabbed his keys and jogged down the back entrance of the palace. He left his motorcycle by the gate. The engine was still warm and it roared awake with life again as he kicked it into gear. The sound crackled with raw energy.

Awakened by the noise, Hebe looked out the window and rubbed her eyes. By the time her head peered above the window sill, Ares was already gone. She curled her prized fluffy bunny to her chest. "Brother?" She yawned. She missed him but how could he leave already if he hadn't been back. She saw a pink butterfly flutter at her window. Hebe stared out, her face scrunching in confusion. It moved on out of site. Butterflies don't fly at night, she scratched her head. Before she could question it further she yawned and fell back asleep.

He jogged up to Aphrodite's house, using the side entrance that led to her wing. Fiddling with the keys, he finally found the right one and slid it into the lock. It didn't budge. He tried again, but it was obvious that it wasn't a match. Ares cursed then went through a few more keys. Perhaps he grabbed the wrong one. After he exhausted the keys, he banged on the door. "Hey. It's me. Open up. My key isn't working for some reason." He said loudly into the night. He shoved on the door, willing it to open. "Come on!"

His hoodie pocket buzzed.

Aphrodite: _You can come over, but I'm not home._

Ares took a deep breath.

Ares: _What do you mean your not home? Where are you?_

He watched the dots on the message logs, growing more and more frustrated.

Aphrodite: _You've been gone a long time. I'm seeing someone else now._

Ares knee jerk reactioned and threw his phone into the sky. It landed somewhere on her roof. He yelled but his voice got lost within the rumble of his motorcycle. He drove back to the palace in such a rage he could only see a few feet ahead of him. Someone else? SOMEONE ELSE? He was only gone a month. No wait. Four months? Still that wasn't long. Not to gods. He even came back for an evening for that stupid party that his mom forced him to go to. It threw off his whole phalanx positions for a few days. Come to think of it. . . Aphrodite wasn't there. Was Aphrodite already. . .

He could picture it now. Someone else's lips on her neck. Someone else's fingers on her thigh. Someone else's hands gripping hers on the headboard. Aphrodite screaming someone else's name.

Ares punched a hole in the wall in the hallway. He slammed his door open. Everything was as he left it. Papers scattered, military ideas sketched out late at night, unorganized thoughts and plans that he always changed when it came down to action. His bed was unmade and lumpy. His floor had been recently picked up. His clothes put away. But his room still smelled like the third day of a battle. No amount of cleaning or time away could get rid of the stench. He liked it. But his mother always harped about it.

"You'll never be able to bring girls over." Hera would say each time she walked past before he could slam the door shut.

He didn't want to bring anybody over. He didn't want to let anyone in. He always came to them or meetups in alleyways and dark cars. Temporary places.

His fist unclenched and he sighed. He felt a breeze on his skin and heard the flapping of a flag. He looked up to see his flag, posted out front was twirling back inside his room. Did he leave the window open this whole time? He moved to go close it, but paused with his hands on the window frame. He breathed in the night air. A fresh start from the battle in his room. He left it open as he turned to go to bed. He was pretty tired and just realized how exhausted he truly was. He never usually slept until he couldn't stand it anymore. Until he stopped moving. So he was always moving. The circles under his eyes warned of his paranoia, but he didn't know what else to do now.

He jumped into bed and rolled into his blankets. Then after a moment he threw them, kicking wildly. His skin was too hot but now, laying openly felt too vulnerable. He sat up and turned on the lamp on his bedside table. Maybe he'd start drafting the next fight, the next battle. His hands gropped for a pencil. An odd shadow passed. Something on his desk fluttered into the air. Ares looked up to see a pink butterfly. It floated gently in the air then before his eyes, it unfurled, losing its shape. He blinked and Persephone was leering up at him.

Yesterday evening:

Persephone had just finished editing the weekly newsletter for "The Deadly Harold" with some pieces with titles such as "Letting Go: But Not Forgotten" and "Finding Love in a Hopeless Place: You Deserve It." The photography department had just sent in the photos and she picked them out and placed them in the layout all on her own this week. She was so excited. Hecate had already left for the day. Persephone poked her head out the door. Cerberus was snoozing by the doorway. That meant he was still here. Persephone sent the final drafts to the editor, making sure to send the attachment, which she had to learn the hard way was the easiest way to piss people off here. She skipped up to Hades office, not able to contain herself. She was proud of her work and she hoped he would be too. She knocked on the door, but it swung open silently at her pressure.

Several things happened simultaneously. Hades stood up suddenly at her presence and shoved a very naked Minthe off of his lap. Revealing his open chest and unbuttoned trousers. The physical draft for the Deadly Harold fell to the floor, scattering as they collapsed. Persephone gasped, and her heart sank to the floor but her stomach jumped up to her throat. Her hand still up in the air, frozen like a statute. She shut her eyes, willing the hot tears about to spill out to go back.

"I - I tried to knock. I'm sorry." Then suddenly Persephone grabbed the door handle, slammed it closed. The floor was rising. The ceiling was crashing down. Her heart was pounding. What was this feeling? She couldn't bare it. She closed her eyes again but she just kept seeing Minthe touching him. Their skin. Their closeness. His clothes shoved aside. Persephone gulped, but there was a lump she had to swallow down. Her hands were fists at her side. Her feet were flying and she didn't know where she was going she just had to move. Had to get away. Had to go. The 99th level of the office building and all the walls were coming in on her. She couldn't breathe. She had to escape. She picked up a chair in her shaking fingers and without thinking launched it at the closest window. The glass shattered in a thousand pieces and for a moment time slowed down again. Persephone saw herself in the cracked shards. Weak. Unworthy. Polite. Docile. Dumb. And then those pieces fell away to the darkness.

Persephone followed after them.

Present:

"What are you doing here!" Persephone and Ares yelled at each other. They stood two feet apart, their hands balled into fists.

"I asked you first!" Still in tandem. Both of their faces leering at each other, daggers in their eyes.

"You weren't supposed to be here!" Persephone huffed.

"It's MY room!" Ares countered.

"OH REALLY? The red flag with your name on it wasn't a dead give away." She leaned to her right, kicking her hip out.

"What are you-why are you here?" Ares held his hands out as if to strangle, but just pressed them together.

Persephone's facade cracked and she held her arms to her side. "Well, I. . . I got lost."

"Lost?"

"Yeah. And. . and I didn't know where else to go. I thought you wouldn't be here but I wanted-" Persephone looked around his room. "I wanted to be angry. I never. . . felt like this before and I don't know. . .how to. And I guess I just. . . found myself here."

Ares spat. "You wanna be angry? You don't know what you're asking for."

"Everyone thinks I'm-I'm just this sweet, naive, silly girl." She huffed. "They laugh when I'm mad. They think it's cute. CUTE. I'm tired of being-" Persephone stared at her hands. "I'm tired of being. . . just this." She balled her hands up. "I wanna." She breathed heavily. "I wanna punch something. I wanna rip someone's hair out. I feel. . . violent." Persephone imagined a neck between her hands. . . squeezing the life out of someone. "I wanna watch someone bleed. I wanna be the one that cuts them."

Ares licked his lips and rolled his eyes. "You don't know anything."

"TEACH ME." Persephone threw her hands up in the air. "THEN TEACH ME." She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her. "I'm so angry." Hot tears rolled down her cheek. "It hurts." She started to shake. "I'm so angry I don't know what to do. I'm shaking. See. I. . . when it happened. . . I didn't know what I was feeling. . . I couldn't handle it. It was easier to not be me anymore. I thought maybe I could live as a butterfly and live my life free from any emotion."

Ares bowed his head and his eyes softened.

Persephone continued. "But, now it just hurts. And I hurt and I just- hate-"

"Hit me." Ares said plainly.

"What?" Persephone looked up.

"Punch me." Ares repeated, his face stoney in seriousness.

"I can't-"

"Sure you can." Ares took off his hoodie, revealing all of his battle scars. "Remember what I said to you in the mortal realm?"

WHACK!

Persephone threw a punch right into his sternum.

"Ouch." Persephone shook her hand out. Her wrist flopped up at the wrong angle.

Ares grabbed her wrist and folded her fingers, curling her thumb underneath. "Like this. Hit straight. Keep the wrist supported. Now. Do it again."

WHACK!

"Put one foot in front of the other. You punch with your whole body, not your hand, not your arm. Support your rotation, keep your feet steady." Persephone changed her stance accordingly. "Yes. Like that. Good. Again."

WHACK!

"Better. Now hit harder. You're holding back."

"No I'm not." Persephone hissed.

"Yes you are. You're hesitating. What are you angry about?"

"None of your damn business!" Persephone lunged, rotating her arm extending it into his chest.

"Is it school?" Ares pressed. "A boy perhaps."

"SHUT UP!" Persephone hit him again.

"Okay." Ares flexed his arms above his head. "So, a boy dumped you."

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Persephone hit him again.

"Cheated on you." Ares hissed out.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Persephone threw everything she had, hitting him over and over again using both hands.

After the first couple of rapid attacks, he easily knocked her arms to the side and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up just until she was uncomfortable. "You let your guard down." He let go, moved his hand to her forehead, and poked it. "That's anger. You don't want it."

"OF COURSE I DON'T WANT IT!" Persephone stomped over to his bed and collapsed on it. 'But I have it now! And I can't stop it! It's like an avalanche. And I can't push it back. It's just falling out of me.." She breathed into the comforter. After a moment she wrestled with the fabric, tossing it this way and that. She was still and then she sniffled.

"Are you crying?" Ares asked in disgust.

"NO!" Persephone whined. But then a bubble of sobs escaped up out of her. "I'm." Sob. "Not." Sob. "Crying."

Ares grabbed her by the ankle and dragged her out of bed onto the floor. "Stop it."

"What?" She looked up at him hurt. No one had ever. . . _not_ comforted her.

"You're a grown ass woman. You came crawling into the bedroom of a stranger who hates your guts and you want what exactly? Sympathy? You want a pat on the back and for me to tell you it'll be okay?" Ares rolled his eyes. "Grow a pair. You can't just wait for someone to act for you. You have to pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. And fight again. It's all we can do. Crying, letting yourself feel SORRY isn't going to get you the results you want."

Persephone scrunched her nose up. "Says the guy who starts wars when he gets his feelings hurt. How many people have died because you couldn't just let it go. Maybe YOU should cry instead of acting with your dick out."

Ares pulled her up from the floor by her wrists and pushed her onto his bed. "Don't you dare."

"Dare WHAT?"

"I didn't show up to your garden. You're in my room. You're in my house. You don't get to-" He grappled with her, hovering over her. "You came to me because you're angry. Well, I'm angry ALL THE FUCKING TIME." He shoved her back to his pillow and leapt up out of the bed. "I hurt too. I feel lonely too. I lose all the FUCKING time. I'm not as smart as Athena. I'm not as powerful as some of the others. I have other wants too. It's not all just. . . fighting. And IT FUCKING HURTS. So don't come in here and lecture me like I can't feel anything. Like I don't understand what it's like to. . ." His shoulders fell, the tension loosening. "Want something so badly and not get it because you're not enough. And you'll never be enough, because you are who you are."

Persephone sat up, grabbing a pillow and wrapping her arms around it. "I do."

"Yeah?" Ares tutted. "What do you want?"

"Someone who doesn't want me back." Persephone's head fell forward, digging into his pillow. "What do you want?"

Ares laughed, bitterly. "I suppose the same thing." He sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Sorry for throwing you around." He said quietly.

"Sorry for criticizing you."

"S'okay. I deserve it." He wiped his face with his hand, stretching his skin down.

"Who is she?" Persephone turned her face to see Ares struggle. His eyebrows raised, wickedly.

"Who is he?" He held out his hand, thumb raised up to the ceiling. "Thumb war." He explained. "Whoever wins, has to tell the other one who it is."

She grinned and shuffled to face him square on.

"One- two -three -four, I declare a thumb war." Their eyes narrowed.

Not even two seconds into the game: "I win." Ares smirked.

"Best two out of three?" Persephone tried.

Ares nodded. "Sure."

"One-two-three-four. I declare a thumb war."

"I win again." Ares chuckled.

"Ugh fine." Persephone picked up the pillow again and smashed her face into it.

"So. Who is it?"

"Hades." She said muffled into the pillow.

"Woooa-oah." Ares scratched his chin. "Hades?" He raised his eyebrow incredulously. He looked over her. She was much too. . . soft. _Oh._ He nodded. That's why she's here now.

Ares sighed. "I thought I was going to be spending the evening with my Aphrodite tonight." He flicked something out of his hair uncomfortably. "But uh, I guess she's not mine anymore."

"I'm sorry." Persephone said, genuinely. "You know. If it wasn't for Aphrodite, I wouldn't be. . . this right now. She got jealous of me and. . . well it's a long story."

"Aphrodite . . . got. . . jealous." Ares said slowly. He looked at her again. A plan. . . a rough messy plan like the scribbles of paper on his desk began to form. "She . . . got. . . jealous." He stood up and paced. "This. . . this could be something."

"What could be. . . what?" Persephone asked, confused.

"I think we should date." Ares said.

"WHAT?" Persephone nearly fainted. "Um. Ares, you got the wrong idea."

"No-no. I think we should pretend to be dating." He clarified, waving a hand in front of him. "Aphrodite will get so jealous she'll beg me to come back to her. And Hades…"

"Will realize what he's missing." Persephone finished. She templed her hands together. She thought for a long hard minute. Imagining the look on his face when she brought her new boyfriend into work to show him around. When they went to a party, he'd have to see her hand in someone else's. "I'll do it." She said standing up and holding a hand out.

"This could easily backfire." Ares warned.

"I know."

"This may not work."

"I know." Persephone nodded, her hand still hanging in the air. "But like you said. What's the point in crying. We have to do something. We have to keep fighting."

Ares gripped her hand and shook it vigorously. "Alright, love. Now let's talk battle plans."


	7. War and Peonies:Part 2

**I accidentally made myself ship these guys and I'm mad about it. Don't worry. Hades x Persephone 4ever. But now I'm just sitting here, stewing over my own dumb imagination making me feel things like an idiot.**

* * *

 **War and Peonies**

 **Part 2**

* * *

Yesterday Evening:

"Persephone!" Hades shouted, buttoning up his shirt as he ran down the halls, nearly running into the night crew that had just stepped off the elevator. "Persephone!" He called out. The employees were used to him yelling but this wasn't his normal irritability. Not seeing her on the floor, he marched back to his office, steaming.

Minthe still lounged in his chair. "What's the matter? Did we make the intern blush and runaway?" A smirk grew on her lips.

Hades ran a hand through his hair. When he stood back up to full height, there was a new aura around him. "Minthe. Get out of my chair." He spoke evenly, emotionlessly. The tone that everyone knew to obey. Even Minthe. She nodded and stood up.

"We'll finish this discussion later then?" Minthe asked hopefully. His stony silence served as an answer. Minthe picked up her dress from the floor. "I've missed you." She batted her eyelashes up at the king, trying one last thing.

"We've discussed it enough, Minthe." Hades pinched the bridge of his nose. "There's nothing more to discuss. We're over."

"You're just saying that because you're angry. You know this is not over. You're going to wake up, lonely, hungry and call me. Maybe not anytime soon, but come on, Hades. We have history. And you have my number." She smiled up at him. "You need me."

"HA. That might have worked on me before. But not anymore." Hades whipped out his phone, pressed her name in his contacts, blocked the number and deleted her information. "Get out of my office. I have work to do." It was another command.

She click clacked down the hall. He couldn't breath until her footsteps disappeared. He switched over to his contacts again and called Persephone. It rang once then went to voicemail.

"Hi! This is uh, Persephone. You can leave a message if you want to. I'll call you back as soon as I can. And I guess I tell you to leave a message after the beep now? BEEP Oh, the phone does that? I don't have to-oh okay. BYE!" Beep.

"Persephone, it's me. Um, Hades. Um. Call me back." Hades gesture wildly at his phone before setting it down. He tapped on the desk, thinking.

With a long arm, he picked up the phone on his desk and called the front office.

"Cece, do you know where Persephone is? She just ran out."

"Persephone? The intern. No, I haven't seen her. She hasn't left for the day. Looks like she's still clocked in."

"Thanks for checking." Hades sighed.

"Oh, hey boss." Cece continued. "We're getting maintenance up there as soon as possible. We're sorry for the mess. But we're on it. It'll be patched up in no time. Not to worry."

"What mess?"

"The broken window on your floor. Oh, I thought you knew."

Hades hung up abruptly and glided out of his office. He didn't notice before, but the chill from the underworld should have alerted him. A crowd of agents loitered around the window, but they parted like oil on water as he approached. Glass fragments lined the sill, but most of the broken pieces were outside. Someone broke it from the inside.

"What happened here?" Hades leaned out the window. A car alarm was blaring off and on. Even from this height Hades could see that an office chair had crashed on top of the vehicle.

"S-sir." An agent stuttered. Hades turned towards her, but she pointed to the ground by his feet. He knelt down and picked up an old model phone with a crack down the middle.

When he stood up, he tried to hide his concern, but feared his face was cracking. He faced the window. "Cerberus!" He called out. A moment later a familiar muzzle knocked into his hand. He held out Persephone's phone. "Find her."

Cerberus's ears perked up then slicked back, understanding and accepting the mission.

Two hours later Hades paced by his pool. His phone gripping his hand. If Cerberus hasn't found her yet, then she wasn't in the underworld. He was waiting until it was absolutely necessary, but nothing was changing and if he waited any longer then it would just get worse.

The phone rang in his hand and he exhaled deeply. "Artemis."

"Yeah?" Artemis raised her eyebrow. "I'm busy."

"Is. . . has Persephone made it home?" He stopped pacing.

"She wasn't here when I left for work. Why?"

"Persephone ran out of work and I wanted to make sure she was okay." Hades frowned.

"What do you mean 'ran out of work?' What happened?"

"Well, technically she jumped out the window and no one has seen her. Cerberus hasn't found her. She dropped her phone."

Artemis stopped in her tracks and the night grew still in the mortal realm. "She ran away?"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

In the early morning as they received the news, a small search party had collected in Hera's kitchen. This was the longest Artemis and Hades had been in the same room without yelling at each other in 50 years. Hera busied herself, making muffins, ever the gracious host. She'd outdone herself. Lemon poppy seed, with almond drizzle. Blueberry with lemon cream. Pistachio and chocolate. Her worry leached into her cooking.

Hermes kept hoovering too close to people. "Sorry." He'd apologize and then land back down. Zeus was thinking, stroking his chin. As the leader of the gods, this was his burden to bare now.

Hades, head in his hands with hair laying just past his shoulders said, "We have to tell Demeter."

"It's only been a night." Zeus reasoned. "No reason to worry her just yet."

"Her daughter is missing. Vanished."

"Her daughter is an adult."

"Just barely." Hera chimed in.

"Why did she run?" Artemis flicked her knife up in the air and caught it in the other, she flipped it several times this way. Her eyes glaring at Hades. "Persephone is mild mannered. She's not the type to. . . jump out windows."

"I don't know." Hades lied.

"How do we know she's not still in the underworld." Hermes pondered. "There's only one way in or out and no one saw her."

Hecate slipped into the kitchen. "We checked and double checked." She answered.

"What about Tartarus. Did you check there?" Hephaestus asked from his spot on the wall.

Hades blanched. "N-no."

"So you haven't checked the whole underworld." Artemis rolled her eyes.

"She couldn't get in." Hades shook his head. "It's impossible. No in and no out."

Zeus began to pace. "If we've gone to all this trouble to find her. . . then she must not want to be found. She's a capable god. Maybe she doesn't want-"

"Maybe someone else doesn't want her to be found." Hecate's eyes narrowed.

Hades hair got a little puffy, a little more frayed. "Do you think?"

Hecate shrugged. And the room grew a little quiet.

"Okay." Zeus breathed. "Okay. Here's what we're going to do. Persephone grew up in the mortal realm, yeah? She's not gonna be hiding in the city-"

A small voice asked, "Why are you looking for Persephone?" Hebe rounded the corner, her bunny dragging behind her.

Hera knelt down on her level. "Good morning, sweet heart. Um. You know how sometimes your favorite socks go missing and it takes a while to find them?"

Hebe nodded.

"Well, Persephone has gone missing and it's taking us awhile to find her too. But don't worry, she'll turn up."

Hebe shrugged. "She's not like a missing sock."

"Well, no." Hera agreed.

"You guys are weird." Hebe giggled. "Persephone's not gone. She's right here."

"What?" Zeus tilted his head, he stopped pacing. "Hebe, what did you say?"

"She's in Ares room." Hebe explained. "I heard them playing war."

"Them? Oh. Hunny. Ares is still in the mortal realm. We talked about this."

Hebe groaned. Adults were so stupid. "No he isn't. I heard the roar and then there was a butterfly outside my room."

"Okay, Hebe. That's enough." Hera began to shoo Hebe outside the kitchen. "Here, take this muffin and go play in your room." The adults continued to talk but none of them ever said anything. Their voices turned into garbled arguments.

"Ugh. No one listens to me." Hebe munched on the muffin. "I don't even like blueberries." She shrugged, dropping the rest of the muffin on the floor and then skipped down the hall but bypassed her room. She stopped outside a door with a large "DO NOT ENTER" sign hanging by weathered duct tape. She knocked three times.

Two knocks greeted hers.

She knocked one more time.

The door opened just wide enough for Ares to pull his sister inside.

Hebe held her hand out. "Pay up." She grabbed at the dollar bill Ares placed in her palm.

"Alright. Now, who all is here?" Ares picked Hebe up by both hands and she walked her feet up his legs and to his chest while talking.

"There's mommy and daddy, and Hufelump of course." Hebe's nickname for her other brother. "Uncle Hades and Artemis and Hermes. . ." She continued, listing everyone else she could remember. "My nephew, Eros. And there's muffins."

"Muffins!" Persephone nearly tripped over all the boots on the bottom of Ares closet. "What kind?"

"That'll be extra." Hebe held her hand out.

Ares shook his head at Persephone. "Okay. What did they say after you told them?"

Hebe signed, exasperated. "They didn't believe me!"

"Hmm." Ares nodded and reached back in for his wallet. "You did good." He pulled out another bill. "We'll keep you on retainer if we need anything else."

"Deal!" Hebe grabbed the money. Ares ruffled his sisters hair and laughed when she swatted him away. "Get off." She groaned, but she couldn't hide her smile.

Hebe left just as secretively.

"Alright." Ares stood up to his full height. "I guess it's my turn. Let's synchronize our watches."

"What?" Persephone raised her eyebrows. "I, I don't have watch."

"I guess that means it's time for you to get one." Ares huffed and turned towards his desk.

"Was that a joke?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Persephone bit her lip.

Ares shuffled in his draws. "Here." He pulled out a brown weathered watch. "I got this when I was 15. It was too small for me, but it should work still."

Persephone held out her wrist and watched his rough hands clasp it on, making it as tight as possible, but it still slide down to her hand when he was finished.

"Game plan. You know what to do?" Ares held his hand behinds his back. A captain assessing the team.

"Sir, yes, sir." Persephone saluted.

"That's not funny."

"Right." She bit her lip. "Sorry."

Before Ares opened the door he paused. "Wait." He pulled his hoodie off for the second time-this time daylight showcasing the muscles hidden underneath-and threw it at Persephone. "Put it on."

As Ares opened the door and closed it behind him, Persephone sniffed the hoodie. "Eck. It smells bad." She smelled it again. "But also. . . not that bad." She dug her nose in it. "I mean, I guess it's alright."

Back in the kitchen, Artemis and Eros were fighting over who knew her better.

"I'm her roommate!" Artemis exclaimed. "I've known her for a few years too!"

"True. True." Eros nodded. "But you don't listen to her. I'm the one she's been telling all her secrets too." Eros clapped his hands to his mouth. "Shit. I mean. You know. Just like. Regular things."

Zeus pointed at Eros. "If you have any information about where and why Persephone would disappear I think you need to share with the-" Zeus stopped mid sentence as Ares casually traipsed into the kitchen, wearing nothing but black boxers and socks. Everyone stared silently as he opened the fridge, bending over. He pulled out the whole water pitcher and guzzled it down, lips on the glass. He dribbled some of the water on his bare chest, but that didn't stop him from tipping the pitcher further as he drained it all in one go. "Ahh." He sighed and slammed the empty pitcher on the counter. He wiped his mouth off with the back of his arm. "Morning." He burped at everyone, his eyes hazy with sleep. Not at all perturbed by the amount of people standing on the other side of the kitchen island. "Oh. Muffins." He grabbed four in one hand.

He was about to leave when Hera stopped him. "Wait a second." She held her hands up. "What are you doing here?"

He frowned. "I live here." How many times did he have to remind his own mother that.

Hera rolled her eyes. "No, I mean when did you get in?"

"Oh." Ares yawned. "Late last night."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Uuuuhh." Not sure how to answer that.

Eros groaned. "Dad, have you seen-"

Just then Persephone stumbled into the kitchen with her eyes closed. Her arms outstretched and she arched her back, getting on her tiptoes to stretch her whole body. The fraying old hoodie she wore, lifted up enough to see her bare midriff. "Boot Camp 78" emblazoned on her chest. A bulky watch on her wrist slid down her arm. She yawned and slinked over to Ares, turning her back to the search party.

He passed her a muffin.

"Oh good, I'm starving." She grabbed it in two hands and downed it in three bites. Without looking across the large island, she took Ares hand and pulled him back into the hallway. He saluted everyone with two fingers and winked at Eros as he was dragged around the corner.

The room was silent for several seconds. Hades stared at the spot where she had entered, as if he had seen a ghost, but he'd seen plenty of ghosts. His mind racing. He saw everything, but he was still putting together. . . what it meant. He kept rearranging it in his mind, like a puzzle piece that wouldn't fit. Eros held a hand up to his mouth worriedly. This was bad. He wasn't sure what was going on, but it was bad news.

"Well. Good!" Hermes boasted, breaking the silence first. "We found her! Case closed. Good job, everybody."

* * *

 **AN: Let me know what you think of these guys and their friendship and all the shenanigans they could get up to.**

 **I didn't intend for this story line to be more than a two parter but uh, hell I'm kinda loving this and I couldn't finish the story in one chapter. Especially after that kitchen scene. I wanted to let that settle in.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	8. War and Peonies: Part 3

**All characters based on the Lore Olympus Webtoon, which is based on greek mythology.**

 **The last chapter in the War and Peonies story arc.**

* * *

 **War and Peonies**

 **Part 3**

* * *

Persephone hesitated, her hands gripping the straps of a helmet. "This seems dangerous." She pointed out with a higher than normal voice. "Maybe we just. . .walk."

Ares groaned. "Get on, already."

"But."

"For the love of Helios." Ares grumbled. "You'll be fine."

"Promise?"

"Ack." Ares shook his head then rolled his eyes, but eventually gave in. "I promise."

Determined, Persephone clipped the helmet on. It would make everything more difficult if she didn't do this with purpose. She held onto the tops of his shoulders, letting them guide her as she straddled the motorcycle behind him.

"Hold on!" Ares yelled as he choked the throttle. The loud roar of the engine made Persephone jump. Her hands dug under his armpit and clasped around his chest. The motorcycle rumbled to life, and Persephone gripped tight to his chest to brace against the vibrations.

"WOOO!" Ares cheered, a grin spreading across his face. With the wind blowing his hair back, he slammed on the gas. As Ares ripped onto the streets of Olympus, Persephone hid a scream into the back of Ares leather jacket. The road was too close and passing too fast. She closed her eyes and hoped it would be over soon.

"Having fun?" He glanced back to see the top of Persephone's head digging into his shoulder blade. She couldn't hear him against the wind, the engine, or through her ear pressed against his jacket. He barked out a laugh, a boyish expression swept his face up. The bike careened to the right as he leaned to the left. He felt Persephone's nails dig in.

They screeched to a halt. He let the engine roar a few times before he turned it off and kicked the stand out. He tried to get up, but Persephone wasn't budging, her grip gluing him back down.

"Persephone?" He turned. "You can let go now."

"Uhuh." She nodded into his shoulders. However, she made no impression of getting up anytime soon.

"So are you gonna let go?"

"Uhuh." Still no movement.

"Persephone." Ares tried to twist around. "Let go." He ordered.

"I don't know if I can."

"You're such a baby." Ares reached a hand back and plucked Persephone off of him, lifting her by the back of her jacket. "Come on, you didn't think that was fun?"

"Fun?" Persephone's eyes widened. Ares sat her back down after hopping off the motorcycle himself. Ares appraised her condition, his boyish grin vanished.

"I used to be like you. Afraid of getting hurt." He held out his arm and Persephone clung on, still not trusting her legs to carry her fully.

"What changed?" She asked, curious.

Ares opened the door for her. "I realized that pain is inevitable, but nothing will ever destroy me." They waited in line. "No matter how often I fall, no matter how much it hurts, we'll be forever. Once you understand that, fear doesn't get in the way anymore."

"Hello! Welcome to Centaurbucks, what can we get for you?" A barista asked cheerily as Persephone and Ares stepped up to the cash register.

"Hi! Can I get an ambrosia frappuccino? With whipped cream?" Persephone grinned. "Large please."

"And for you?" The barista blinked up at Ares, trying to keep calm.

"Mmm. I don't know. I've never been here before. Persephone, what should I get?"

"Oh!" Persephone's grin grew wider.

A few minutes later Ares held a cup up to his face. "Ariz? They spelled my name wrong. Hey, don't they know who I am?" His eyes glowed with anger.

Persephone grabbed his arm and held him back from storming back up to the register. "It's okay. It's just a drink."

Ares grumbled and let Persephone lead him outside to one of the tables. She picked a spot by a tree. "OK. This should be a good place. Sit here." She patted the patio chair next to her. "Let's get a pic to post to-" Persephone checked her jacket pockets. Then her shorts. "Oh no. I left my phone in the underworld."

"S'okay. We can use mine." Ares patted his pockets. "Oh. Wait. Uh, gods dammit."

"What?"

Ares banged his fist on the table. "I threw it somewhere at Aphrodite's."

The straw to Persephone's frappuccino made a loud squeak as she moved it up and down nervously. "Well." Persephone frowned and fiddled with her straw again. "I guess this means we'll be riding again, huh? Can't cause controversy anymore without social media." Persephone clipped her helmet back on and stared up at Ares with determination. "Let's go."

When they arrived at Aphrodite's house, Ares made sure Persephone stayed by the motorcycle.

"If I'm seen, I don't want her to see you."

"But I thought this was the point." Persephone blinked up at him.

Ares scratched the back of his head. "Well, yes. But I also don't want you to end up turned into a rat or something."

"What?" Persephone panicked.

"Don't worry."

"How can you say that and not expect me to worry!" Persephone blanched. "Oh god. Ares. She already hates me. She's going to kill you."

"Not kill." Ares shook his head. "If anything, you'll get your wish." He shrugged. "You won't have to feel so tied to your emotions anymore if your not a sentient being." Ares laughed at the expression on his face. "I'm joking. But seriously. Don't come closer."

Persephone fidgeted by the bike. He watched as Ares shimmied to the west wing and began searching for his phone. He traced his steps back trying to remember the sequence of events, even pulling out his keys, fumbling with them by her door. He picked up an invisible phone and. . . . chucked it. He followed the arc. "Damn." He eyed the took his jacket off and rubbed his hands together. Slowly, Ares shimmied his way up the side of the house, grappling the stone exterior like a rock wall.

Back at the bike, Persephone saw a large vehicle slowing down and turn into the long driveway.

"Sugar cookies." Persephone cussed. She dove behind the bushes. She heard a steady hum as the car rolled up. She poked her head out after it had past. All her thoughts were wondering what it would be like to live as a scarf or a shoe, when Aphrodite took revenge too far. This really was a bad idea. Playing a game of jealousy against the goddess of love and the god of the dead. She slapped her face. How the hell was this going to end up in a happy ending for both of them? She watched Ares in the distance crawl up the side of Aphrodite's house and she wished she had his nerve and his reckless abandonment.

Ares had reached the top when a voice called to him from below.

"Ahoy there, brother." Hephaestus called out, as he closed the door to his truck. He pulled out a cane and walked forward toward the house. "What are you doing up there?"

"Hephi!" Ares sighed in relief. He looked out to his motorcycle but didn't see Persephone anywhere. She must be hiding. Good girl. "Sorry I couldn't chat earlier this morning."

"No, no. I understand." Hephi grinned. "She's a pretty little thing. Sure you had fun corrupting her."

"I always do, brother." Ares grinned back.

"Still didn't answer my question." Hephi's grin faded and he crossed his arms. "What are you doing at my wife's house?"

Ares hands slipped. "Wh-what?"

"My wife." Hephaestus's arched his eyebrows. "Honestly, I'm surprised you took the news so well. When I saw you this morning with the spring goddess, well, I didn't think you'd get over it so easily."

"Your wife?" Ares gulped something hard down his throat. "Um." He turned around, hiding the confusing mix of emotions passing on his face. He grabbed a brick in his hand and crushed it into dust slowly. "We need to catch up." Ares called. " I'm sorry. I never got you a gift to celebrate. How-how long has it been now?" Ares tried to play it cool. "I thought you'd be a lifelong bachelor."

Hephaestus barked a laugh. "You and me both, brother. I'm too lucky, really. I mean, Aphrodite. She's. . . she's everything. I don't have to tell you that. But, oh, it happened while you were at war. It was a bit of a. . . whirlwind, you could say. Honestly, I'm as baffled as everyone else."

Ares spotted his phone next to a grate on the roof, snatched it up, and pushed it into his back pocket. He took a deep breath and as he walked back to the edge, waiting for the rage to over take him, feeling dizzy when instead he felt quiet.

Hephaestus starred up at him. "You alright, brother?" His hand covering his eyes to see better. The fall from Olympus not only hindered his leg, but caused vision impairment too.

"Aye." Ares nodded. He pictured it then. The mysterious figure in his nightmare...the shadows clearing, revealing his own brother.

"So, Ares." Hephaestus leaned on his good leg. "I'll ask you one more time: What are you doing on me wife's roof?"

"Tying up loose ends." Ares breathed. A stormy ocean brewing under his breath. He leapt down in an agile and powerful leap. The concrete cracked under his foot. Ares clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Congratulations, Hephaestus. I wish I could have congratulated you sooner. I'm so happy for you." His words were marred by gritted teeth.

They shook hands cordially. Made plans to have some "bro" time soon. Then Ares walked back to his motorcycle. Hephaestus pulled out his key and entered through Aphrodite's door without any trouble.

He got on his motorcycle and waited silently for the pink body of Persephone to press into him. He didn't look at her as he started up the engine. The motorcycle screamed back onto the road. Persephone gripped him tighter this time, but for a different reason now. She didn't hear what happened, but she could sense it, the storm that constantly was brewing behind his eyes and his struggle to contain it.

The motorcycle slowed down to a stop. Cautiously, Persephone followed behind Ares as he walked over to a bench, behind them a gorgeous park.

"So. . ." Persephone's knee bobbed up and down. "What happened?"

"Nothing." Ares shrugged, pretending to brush it off, but his hair frazzled up and his cowlick was more prominent than usual. Persephone lunged at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ares froze. . . eventually unthawing and pressing her closer to him, his check nuzzling against hers. "Come on. We got some controversy to make up." He pulled out his phone, but his other hand not letting her go.

"Do you think we should. . . practice?" Persephone whispered into his neck.

"Practice?"

"I mean. I don't- what if we need to kiss and . . ." Persphone's blush ran up her neck. "I feel like maybe. We should practice because I'm not sure if I'm- like I think people would know if it's really awkward. And-" Persephone was panting. "Forget it."

Ares face turned ruethless. "You want to kiss me?"

"NO." Persephone grunted. "But like. . . maybe. . . maybe we should?"

He thought about it for a second though his mind already made. His anger vanished. Ares tilted her chin up, though she was trying to conceal it from embarrasement. Rough hands clasped on either side of her face, but his lips brushed down her nose so gently, Persephone gasped.

Then a shadow passed over them.

"Just the two people I was hoping to run into." A voice said from above. Eros touched down in front of them. Ares and Perspehone froze in an umcomfortable romantic embrace. Eros didn't care as he looked at Ares and Persephone in turn, his eyes suspicious. Jumping between the two of them. "So." He started, a wicked smirk twisted up his face. "Are you going to be my new evil stepmother?"

"Uh. Stepmother?" Persephone blanched. "We're. . . just, uh. We're just -seeing each other." Persephone tried to explain.

"Oh uhuh." Eros still had his hands crossed in front of him. "Seen a lot of my father have you?"

"Eros." Ares grumbled.

Persephone blushed, feeling woozy. "Uh." She stammered. "I mean."

"It would be so nice to visit you two during the holidays. Persephone, you can bake cookies and call me your son. Wouldn't that be great? Can I call you 'mommy'?"

Persephone internally screamed.

Eros continued. "I mean, I'm a little hurt. As a love god, my father and my best friend meeting behind my back. Do I mean nothing to you?"

Persephone threw her hands up. "Oh my gods, Eros. Fine! We're trying to make other people jealous by dating and rubbing it in their faces."

"REALLY!" Eros squished his face in both of his palms, his feet hovering above the ground. "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY SO!"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxo

Hades stared out his window, overlooking the underworld. An empty cup in his hands. Every now and then he'd bring it to his lips, remember it was empty, and set his arm back down again. He wasn't sure how long he had been standing there. He'd instructed no one bother him today. The funny thing about the underworld was that, you couldn't watch the passing of the time like in the other realms.

There was a knock on the door.

Hades didn't answer. Instead he brought the cup to his lips again.

Another knock. He heard the door open.

"Hey."

Hades nearly dropped his glass. He spun around to see Persephone in front of his desk.

"Wh-…-h-... Hey." He said back. She was wearing a white sheath dress, the hem just kissing her knees. A combat jacket draped across her elbows, off of her shoulders. Dog tags hung around her neck. Ares's jacket. Ares dog tags. Hades cleared his throat. It hurt to swallow.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've started working on the new flow report. It looks promising so far. I think the new details are having a positive response, like we intended."

Hades raised his eyebrows. "Oh. Um. Good. Yes. Good." She was acting like nothing happened. How? No. Hades sighed internally. She was acting professional. "I look forward to seeing the completed results."

He tapped the edge of his desk. Wanting to say more. Wanting to say everything.

"Hey, about yesterday." Persephone scratched the back of her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't know your. . . associate was. . . with you."

"No. I'm sorry you saw that. That was-"

"It's fine. I get it." She shrugged. "I'm sorry about. . .the window too. I'll pay you back."

"No, its fine." Hades waved her off but he shook his head. "Well. It's not fine."

Persephone's eyes widened. "Wh-"

Suddenly, Hades pulled something out of his desk and then grabbed Persephone's hand. He placed her phone in her palm and didn't let go. "I was worried."

"Oh." She said, shocked.

"I was really worried, Persephone. You can't just leave and not tell anyone where you are and not give anyone a way to call you. I thought you had been kidnapped. I thought you were-." Hades shook his head. "I'm not sayin you need to tell me what's going on all the time, but. . . just don't. . . don't do _that_ again. Please." It wasn't one of Hades command, but it was a sincere request. "You have a lot of people that care about you and were worried."

Persephone nodded quietly. Guilt wrecking through her. Hades withdrew his hand and stepped back behind his desk.

Persephone's head hung low as she turned. She fidgeted with the chain around her neck as she walked.

"Kore." He called softly before she opened the door. "Ares. . ." He paused. The tenderness in his voice nearly cracking. "Be careful. Will you?"

Persephone nodded again, her face completely vulnerable. She wanted to say more. She wanted to tell him everything. Instead she closed the door behind her and stumbled back to her desk. It wasn't until she was leaving for work that she realized the phone Hades gave her. . . was not the used phone she got from Artemis. He handed her a brand new phone.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Aphrodite rolled onto her stomach and removed the straps from her bikini. The sound of the pool water gently lapping beside her set her at ease. Her limbs felt hot and dry and she liked how crusty they felt, soaking up the sun. She had a moment of peace to herself. A rarity. She would have had time to herself last night, but in the moment, being alone was unbearable and she wasn't about to go home to _him._ So she and her girlfriend watched movies together until they passed out on the couch.

Her phone buzzed on the table beside her. With her left hand she slapped it up, then propped herself on her right arm.

" _UM"_

The text read from Eros read.

" _HAVE YOU SEEN THIS"_

She swiped through to the message and clicked the link sent to her. It pulled up her old flame's Facescroll. The whisky grin. The stupid cowlick. The reckless fire. His passionate lips pressed at. . . Persephone's ear. Embracing so warmly. Innocence and fury, wrapped in each other's arms. Purity and chaos flirting with each other. His name on a chain around her neck. A flower tucked behind his ear. A blush on her cheeks. A wildfire in his eyes. The caption: "Gorgeous day. Gorgeous girl. Full tank of gas. Can't lose."

"The fuck." Aphrodite sat up. Her bathing suit falling off of her. She didn't care. Topless, she stormed to her garage and a moment later, she backed out in her corvette. "THE FUCK!" She screamed again.

Ares crashed down the weights at the gym, resetting for another circuit. He was just about to start a round of burpees when he heard the door slam open, a few people whistled in the gym, the click clack of heels growing louder. He grinned to himself before turning around. The distinct smell of pheromones, a familiar addicting musk, wafting in from behind him.

Aphrodite stood in front of him. Naked. The only item of clothing was her high heels.

He forgot how to breath.

"A-Aphrodite." He whispered. "You came to see me." He grinned ruefully.

"What the fuck is this." She held up the picture of him and Persephone.

"What the fuck is that." He nodded with his chin to her left hand. A gold band on her finger.

They glared at each other. Testing the air.

"You know. I feel sorry for you." Ares combed his hair back, not at all frazzled. "It must have been a slap in the face. The goddess of beauty. Of love. Of sex. Coupled with him? Such a shame."

"You know nothing." Aphrodite grew livid. "I'm perfectly happy!"

"Really?" Ares barked. "Then why weren't you in his bed last night?"

"What?" Aphrodite hissed.

"I didn't sleep alone last night, but you did. You didn't sleep with your husband." Ares cut viciously.

Aphrodite's face tightened up into a snarl. "How do you know that?"

"Because, you weren't there for the search party. And I ran into my brother later. He was looking for you. Because you never showed up last night, did you? Why is that? Is it. . . because he doesn't satisfy you?"

Aphrodite breathed heavily. "What do you want?"

Ares chuckled and moved towards her. "What do _I_ want? What do _you_ want, babycakes? You're the one that came in here, to yell at me, naked. Why? Because of a dumb picture with a flower girl? Don't tell me you're jealous?" He shrugged out of his shirt and tossed it to the side. "She's real sweet, you know. Docile and gentle. Doesn't argue with me. It's nice."

"NICE?" Aphrodite spat. "You don't want _nice._ " She stepped towards him. "You're not nice and I know you don't have the patience for it." They were nearly touching. Their skin hot, their breath short.

"Really? And you know what I want then?" He swaggered closer to her. His nose nearly touching her forehead.

"I always know what you want." Aphrodite stared up at him through thick lashes. "Don't I, Captain?"

"Then show me." Ares ordered.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Back in the underworld, Persephone was just getting off work and struggling to put her phone in her bag. "Oh, can you hold it!" She asked as she saw the elevator doors sliding close.

A gloved hand reached out and caught the door for her until she entered safely.

"Oh." Persephone bit her lip as Hades pressed the close door button and level 1. "Sorry, I didn't realize it was you."

"It's quite alright."

They rode quietly for a moment, but it was a long way down.

"Thank you." Persephone piped up, not able to take the silence anymore. "For the phone."

"Oh. You're welcome. I just didn't want you to be caught somewhere and have your phone quit on you like those older models tend to do."

"Thank you." Persephone said again and shuffled her feet.

The doors opened on level 46 and Hades and Persephone looked up like deer caught in a headlight. "I'll just take the next one." An employee scooted back nervously.

"So." They both started as the elevator doors shut again.

"Oh, go ahead." Persephone bowed.

"No, you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" Hades paused.

"Well," They both spoke in tandem again.

Persephone chuckled lightly.

"I just-"

"Is it al-"

They sighed, giving up. And the doors opened to the lobby on the ground floorl. "I'll see you t-"

"I'll walk you out." Hades finally managed to say.

Persephone smiled shyly. "Alright."

The doorman opened the door for Hades who waited until Persephone passed through before walking out himself. "Good evening, Roger." He nodded.

"Your majesty." Roger bowed.

Persephone rolled up the coat back onto her shoulders as it was a little chillier outside. "I'm-" She started.

"I just-" Hades also began.

Persephone pressed a finger to his lips. "I'm sorry if I've been weird lately. I just- I don't want to disapoint you."

"Why would I be disappointed in you?" Hades asked sincerly.

Just then Ares rode up on his motocycle and tossed Persephone the old helmet. "Hi Hades." He grinned wickedly. The stresslines on his face seemed to have disapeared.

Hades sighed. "Hello, Ares." They had always had a mutual understanding. A professional relationship. Where Ares tread, death followed. Though he rarely visited the underworld, not wanting to see the fields he had sown. At this moment though, Hades couldn't bare the sight of him.

"See you tomorrow." Persephone waved as she climbed up behind her new _associate_ and squeezed tight.

Hades was the king of the underworld. A role that meant he had to wear many hats and fufill many dutes. One of which, was the role of tormentor. The next few days however, were a personal hell to Hades. Tormentor now the tormented.

Images of them together were not just on facescroll anymore that he avoided like the plauge. Everyone was talking about it. The big romance that caught everyone off gaurd and swept up everyone into a mild hysteria. "Peres" was their couple name. They attended Nemesis's party together. Arm in arm. Thick as theives. She spent most evenings at the palace locked in his room, according to the tabloids. Hera was always open to comment, extremely proud of the match. Everyday Persephone came in, wearing another peice of Ares on her skin.

Hades melted further and further into the shadows. He would see a picture of her accidently, her grinning up at Hades and for a second he would feel at peace. Knowing that she was happy. If she were happy, Hades could be to.

But then they would pass each other in the hallway and her halfhearted wave felt like some kind of sadness leaking out of her.

Later in the week, Hades sat down to his morning breakfast. Cerberus retrieved the morning paper. One of his heads dropped it at Hades feet.

"Good boy." Hades absently picked the paper up and unfurled it on his counter.

His eyes popped open. "No. Oh no. Shit." He lunged towards his keys. "Cerberus, in the car now. Everyone else, please don't eat the couches." No time to take Russel and and Cordon Bleu to the doggy day car.

He paced in his office. No one was answering his phone calls. He wasn't quite sure what to do or what he should do. . . or what was in his realm or if nothing was of this.

There was a soft knock at the door. "You wanted to see me?" Persephone poked her head in.

"Kore." Hades eyes looked up at her in worry. "I didn't think you - I didn't think you would come in today."

"Why?" Persephone tilted her head, stepping lightly into the office.

"Are you okay?" Hades instinctively gravitated towards her, wanting to hug her, but his hands stayed at his side.

"Um. Yeah, what's up?" Persephone tried to smile up at him to put him at ease, but that made his expression darken all the more.

"You haven't heard. You. . . you haven't seen." Hades' palm caught his forehead in a rush of motion. "I'm sorry."

"What-what haven't I seen?" Persephone's smile faded and her eyesbrows closed in closer together.

Hades stomped back behind his desk. "Nothing. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Hades." Persephone follwed after him. "What's going on?"

Her face shimmered up at him. He had to tell her. "I'm sorry." Hades shook his head and pushed the newspaper towards Persephone. She held it softly in her hands, maintaining the straight edges of the paper. Her eyes scanning the headline.

"BOOBY TRAPPED: LOVE AND WAR TANGLED AND TIED UP"

The photo underneath was of Aphrodite on top of Ares, both of them naked, tangled in sheets and also a weird fibery netting. She quickly read the first few paragraphs. Hephestaes catching Ares and Aphrodite in the act and hoisting them up to the streets of olympus to shame them in front of everyone for their infidelity.

Hades watched Persephone carefully as she read.

Her shoulders shook. Was she about to cry? Hades held out a hand, getting ready to comfort her, when she broke out in a peel of laughter. She slapped the newspaper on the desk and continued laughing, holding her chest in.

Hades raised an eyebrow, thoroughly confused.

Persephone wiped a happy tear away from her eye and sighed. "We did it. It worked." She grinned.

"Did what?" Hades held his hand up in confusion. "I'm sorry. I don't understand. I thought you would be upset. He's. . . he's cheating on you."

Persephone laughed again then she slumped into the chair opposite Hades. "I suppose the jig is up." She sighed and an amused expression graced her face as she looked up at Hades. "I'm not upset because we weren't actually dating."

Hades sunk into his chair and waited for Persephone to continue.

"That morning. In Hera's kitchen? That was all planned. We even paid Hebe to plant the seed into your heads. Everything was planned. What we did, what we wore. Then the pictures and the dates. All of it. Fake." Persephone fiddled with a strand of her hair.

"Fake." Hades repeated.

Persephone nodded, looking up at the ceiling. "It was dumb. But at least it partially worked." She shrugged a tinge of sadness tweaked her shoulder.

"Why?" Hades asked, confusion still furrowing his brows. "Why would you do that?"

Persephone tapped on the newspaper. "For. . . love." She held her hand up. "And revenge. I know. It's foolish."

"So. . . Ares wanted to make Aphrodite jealous?" Hades guessed.

Persephone nodded slowly.

"Why would you agree to that? That put you in a lot of danger. And why? If this was just for Aphrodite, did you-"

"It wasn't just for Aphrodite." Persephone's skin flushed and she bowed her head. The room got quiet as Hades realized that there must be someone else in Persephone's life that she was trying to. . . make jealous. His knee bobbed uncomfortably at the thought. He didn't know Persephone at all, he realized.

Persephone hated the silence and knew it was her fault. "I guess I should get this over with. That evening," She said after clearing her throat. "When I walked in on you and Minthe." She looped her finger around her hair nervously. "I was so angry I didn't know what to do. I was so hurt and confused and it all just bubbled up into rage and so I had to leave. I ran into Ares. . . and he understood me. He wanted to help me because he felt the same way. So we made a deal."

"Why?" Hades face and voice softened. "You said you were fine?"

"I lied!" Persephone leaned her head back. "Of course I wasn't fine. I was mad! I was mad at you." She finally admitted. "And I can't just. . . say that. You're my friend and my boss and the king of the underworld. I can't just yell at you and tell you that you broke my heart! I'm just an intern. So I wanted. . . I wanted you to see what _I_ did. I wanted you to feel what _I_ felt." Persephone shook her head and the tension in her voice fell. "And it's so silly, because why would you care?"

"You. . ." Hades spoke slowly. "You were. . . wanting to make. . . _me_ jealous?"

Persephone burried her head in her hand.

Now Hades laughed.

"Okay, no need to laugh. I know I'm not your type." Persephone grumbled. "I'll. I'll leave now. I've already said too much." She got up hurriedly.

"Wait! Kore." Hades smiled at her. "Your experiment was a success. It's been driving me insane for the past week. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to rip that stupid dog tag off your neck and throw it in the trash. I can't even begin to describe how it felt to see you riding off with him every day. The way you held on to him. My gods, in the kitchen, when you grabbed his hand I was about to combust with envy."

Persephone peered up from her hands.

"And for the record. We , Minthe and I, broke up awhile ago and she was trying to get me back when you walked in. I'm so sorry you- you got the wrong impression but she's nothing to me. I never wanted to hurt you or make you feel-I'm so sorry. I tried to explain that earlier. . but then Ares-"

"Oh." Persephone's eyes widened.

"But. You're. . .you're really not involved with Ares?"

"No." Persephone shook her head. "We never even kissed."

"Oh." Hades nodded slowly.

"And you're really not seeing anyone?"

"No. There's no one else besides. . . you."

"Oh." Persephone tapped her feet together. She smiled shyly, then grabbed the chain around her neck and ripped it off, tossing it to the side. "Well. I. . . I already told you how I feel." She bit her lip.

"Persephone." Hades stood up and held out his hand. "Next time you're mad at me, I want you to tell me. Yell at me. Tell me what I've done wrong. Scream it in my face. I don't care about the poltics or the roles. Just come to me next time, because I can't bare to see you walk away with someone else again."

"Can I punch you next time you make me mad. If there is a next time?" Persephone beamed.

"Um."

"I've been working on my right hook." She balled up her fist like Ares taught her.

"I'll try very hard never to make you angry again." Hades bent down and kissed the top of her head. She wrapped her hands around his torso and pulled him closer.

"Good." She whispered. "Because I got a mean punch."

* * *

 **AN: WOOO. I had to hold myself back from making this a ten chapter saga. If it felt rushed, that's why.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it. And hoped this filled your week with some LO content between waiting for new chapter.**

 **Let know what you think!**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	9. Cookies and Cream (M)

**AN: You may have noticed the rating for this collection has changed. Because of this chapter. I normally don't normally write erotica. So bare with me. If this is your thing, I hope you enjoy it.**

 **xoxo**

 **Goldie**

* * *

Cookies and Cream

* * *

"Now stir until there aren't any lumps." Persephone swayed her leg back and forth, balancing the cookbook on her knee: _Tastes of the Mortal Realm_. Hades held a shiny bowl in one hand and in the other a wooden spoon. Flour was smeared on the front of his black apron. "You gotta scoop it. Dig in and like flip it." Persephone critiqued his stirring technique.

Hades eyed Persephone cooly. He exaggerated his movements, loopin his arm in big movements. "Like this?"

"Not quite."

"What about this?" Hades dipped the spoon down. His face grinned wickedly, before he settled back to a calm stoic expression. With a sudden movement, he flicked the spoon at Persephone. A large mound of cookie dough splattered on her shirt.

"HEY!" Persephone barked. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Making cookies?" Hades shrugged, innocently.

"They need to go on the baking sheet!" Persephone huffed. "Not my shirt."

"Hmm." Hades set the bowl down and then with an outstretched finger, pressed down across her chest, sweeping back up with a small scoop of the cookie dough.

He was about to bring it up to his own lips, before she grabbed his hand in both of hers and licked the cookie dough off his finger. "Mmm. That's good." She fiddled with his apron. "How come I'm the one that got messy when you're the one wearing the apron."

"I suppose you can borrow one of my shirts." Hades smirked. "Or you could just wear the apron."

"Ha." Persephone rolled her eyes, but her hands roamed down his chest and then yanked him towards her. His lips found hers, like coming home. The taste of cookie dough lingered on her. His tongue hesitantly waited for permission. She sighed contentedly and he parted her lips gently. She blushed at his touch and his heart skipped a beat. This would never get old. Then pure affection gave into hunger. Both hands gripped the side of her face, as he sidled up closer, closing the gap between them.

 _Bring Bring-Bring Bring_

Persephone reached her hand behind her, patting the counter until she felt her vibrating phone under her palm. She pulled it up behind Hades head, their lips still locked. Hades leaning further onto her on the counter.

"Mom!" Persephone's eyes widened. Her picture popped up on her home screen.

Hades froze. Lips still grazing hers.

"Uh." She pushed Hades' chest gently, moving him back. "I need to take this."

"Of- Of course." Hades nodded, his skin flushing as he broke out of his stillness. Demeter always called at the wrong time, as if she knew exactly when to interrupt them. He started to walked away, when Persephone's foot caught his leg, trapping him. She reached up and caressed his face softly, then her other hand hit the green button on the phone.

"Hey, mom!" She greeted warmly, her leg dropped back to the cabinet, releasing Hades. "No. It's a good time. We're just. . . making cookies." Persephone explained. Then she grimaced. "We? Oh, I mean like the royal we. I mean. Not royal. Just. Just me. Making cookies. Haha." A bead of sweat formed on her forehead. Demeter was aware of Persephone spending so much of her time in the underworld, a chasm that further divided Demeter from Hera, but she wasn't aware that Persephone's heart was so consumed in the underworld too.

Hades rolled his eyes as he retrieved the baking sheet. Persephone hopped down from the counter and spread oil on the sheet. "Oh really?" Persephone hummed. She held the phone with her shoulder as she and Hades stood side by side, balling up the cookie dough into their palms and placing them on the sheet.

These check-ins from Demeter started after the fiasco in the tabloid. Demeter actually bought a phone for herself to talk to Persephone though she previously had sworn off such technologies. Persephone was worried her mother would berate her for having a phone, but instead now she could feel a piece of home from time to time. However, the timing was becoming more and more strenuous, as her life began to develop in ways she wasn't ready to tell her mother about. Ways her mother wasn't ready to hear.

"Yeah, it's going great." Persephone tapped her spoon on the baking sheet, plopping down a ball of dough. "Ugh. Mom. Yes." She rolled her eyes and shook her head exasperatedly at Hades. He raised his eyebrows. "I like working there. Still. And yes, he's still a good boss. For the 30th time."

Hades smirked, while Persephone took the baking sheet over to the oven and bent down to place it on the middle rack. She felt Hades move behind her, his hands ran down the side of her hips as he pulled her backside closer to him. Persephone slammed the oven door and eyed Hades angrily. He smiled back, unphased. His hands still gripped her hips. She tried to move but got yanked back into Hades chest.

"Oh? So how goes spring? I'm sorry you're so overworked." Persephone huffed, feigning annoyance as Hades hands moved up to her waist, wrapping around her, hugging her closer.

" _No trouble at all. I did notice there are some places that you've been missing, don't worry. I got them covered. I'm leaving notes for you."_

"Missing?" Persephone's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean missing?"

Hades bent his face down and pressed his lips to her temple, the lines fading away at his gentle touch.

"No no no." Persephone groaned. "Mom, I did that on purpose." Her hands flung up in the air. "I don't want spring to be. . ." Hades grabbed her angry hand and placed it up so that she was reaching back to cup his chin in her palm. Persephone sighed. "It's fine. No. We just have different ideas on what to do with it. I'm sorry. I know you're helping me out." Persephone's nose twitched, not completely okay with her mother undoing all of her work.

Suddenly, Hades released her. Persephone nearly lost her footing as she became unbalanced. She turned around to see Hades taking the apron off, ducking his head out of the straps.

" _I talked to Hestia-"_

"Mhm." Persephone got distracted by his tight shirt underneath, hugging his muscles in all the right ways. "How is she?" Those arms she was ogling were suddenly at her wrist, then gliding up to her shoulders. Hades eyed the stain on her shirt and raised his eyebrow. His eyes met Persephone's, a devilish glint sparkled right before he pulled the hem of her shirt up.

"HEY!" Persephone exclaimed. A blue finger covered her mouth.

" _What's that?"_

"Uh." Persephone said into the phone, a glare shooting up at Hades. A glare that turned into something else. "Sorry. No. I just uh, spilled something on my shirt." She held the phone out, stretching her arms up above her head as Hades continued pulling her shirt off. Hades took her shirt and disappeared into the hallway to the laundry room. When he came back, Persephone was leaning on the countertop with her stomach, he elbows propping her up, chatting away casually. Hade's apron draped across her shoulders. She fiddled with the strings tying it around her waist. Hades frowned.

"No. You should really come and visit." Persephone spoke quietly. She jumped a bit when Hades hands found her open back. She tried to swat him away from the apron strings she just knotted, but he continued upward, finding the back of her bra strap. "Yeah. I know it's been awhile. I can show you where I-" She felt the release, then she felt Hades hands moving underneath the apron, shifting her bra up and away. Persephone gulped. "Um. Where I go to school and um-" Hades molded each of her breasts into his palms, supporting them. He leaned down to her neck and began planting soft kisses down to her shoulder and then trailing back up again behind her ear.

"Um. Yeah." Persephone exhaled. Her breath getting a little shallow. "That would be great. Oh, you want to come visit me here?" Hades twisted his fingers suddenly on her nipples harshly. "Ah-ah." Persephone gasped. "A-Actually, that probably wouldn't work. I have so much going on." He rubbed her softly, nudged her and rolling his finger around her areola. "Yeah, yeah. Lots of work. I need to stay focused." Hades pulled her hips back onto his. Now his hands dipped from her exposed back to her skirt and began to shove the fabric down. "Focus." Persephone repeated.

" _What are you going to write your term paper on?"_

Hades lifted her suddenly from her waist and placed her on the counter, facing him. Ever continuing to pull her skirt down. They dropped to her ankles, her underwear with them. "Um. Well, I was going to-" He carefully grabbed her calf and yanked her skirt off to the floor. His hands lingered on her legs, then slowly moved up, pushing under the apron, over her thighs, and then back down her knees. He flipped his hands to the back of her knees, caressing them softly. "I was thinking about the dichotomy of-" He leaned towards her, while pushing her knees to either side of her, opening her up to him like a flower blooming in the sun. A smile ever playing at his lips. "The dichotomy of- well, growth and death." Persephone bit her lip as Hades finger danced along the inside of her thigh, sweeping through, leaving a burning trail in her skin.

She sighed and leaned all the way back across the kitchen island. Her hair tousled off the other edge. "Well, basically. I'm arguing that in order to have balance on the mortal realm there has to be both." Hades smiled mischievously before disappearing under the apron. " You can't have one and not the other or . . ." His lips planting kisses on her inner thigh. She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. "T-th-the scales of society will collapse either way."

" _What is that supposed to mean?"_

"Well. That in order for new growth to thrive and be successful and flourish and spread-" Persephone relaxed further, arching up so Hades had a clearer path. "There has to be death." His tongue found its way home and the shock of pleasure momentarily stunned Persephone. A soft moan escaped and before she knew it, Hades hand was clamped around her mouth, but that didn't stop him from performing his work. Each stroke, she saw like a splash of vibrant color, painting her anew.

" _All this death talk."_ Fingers parted her folds. " _You're spending too much time in Hades."_

"You got that backwards." Persephone sighed.

" _What?"_

"What?" Her eyes popped open. "Uh. I mean. I think it's just given me a different-" Those fingers curled inside of her and she held her breath. His tongue still at her peak, spelled out her name. "A different-" Over and over again a confession of his love, whispered secretly to her. . . on her. . . in her. "Perspective." She breathed finally.

" _Why would death have anything to do with agriculture?"_ Persephone threw her on hand to her mouth this time as Hades confessions began to tense her muscles, throwing her closer to the edge. " _The mortals take what they need. Always have and I think it's just fine. You've never had a problem with the way I've done it before."_

She groaned, both at her mother and to finally release the pent up sensation sitting within her. "No, I don't mean it like that. It's just that, sustainability-" Her fingers flew down, trying to wrap themselves up in Hades hair but were only met with the fabric of the black apron. She gripped the apron instead. "Death is necessary to keep the ecosystem in -" Her toes curled. "In - harmony." She panted as pleasure ricocheted through her. The heat between her legs consumed her. Her arms quivered.

" _Are you alright?"_

"Yes. I'm . . . I'm wonderful." Persephone breathed in quick shallow breaths. "Sorry, I'm. . .multi-tasking."

" _What are you doing?"_

Persephone rolled over onto her stomach, moving her legs up and over Hades' head carefully. "The-the cookies. Remember?" Persephone answered. As she bowed her head forward, she lifted her ass up, an offering to the king. Her body was craving another kind of desert. "Just making cookies."

" _Right."_

Hades pulled her hair softly, lifting her head off the counter. He dragged her lip down, his finger covered in her own essence. She licked his fingers like cookie dough from a spoon. "Mmm." She hummed involuntarily. "It's gonna be a good batch." She covered lamely.

Hades hid a snicker into the small of her back. Then, teasingly, his teeth grazed down her skin, over her hips. . . and then he bit her butt cheek, a full chunk between his teeth.

Persephone collapsed. "I'm sorry. What was that, mom?" She squirmed. Why of all the times and places was he being so extra? Hades received a non appreciate glare from Persephone. He answered it back with letting his member spring out from the confines of his boxer briefs. Persephone closed her eyes. Focus. Persephone. Focus

" _I said, I think maybe you should change your topic to something more reasonable."_

"Reasonable?" Persephone scrunched her face up. Hades gripped her love handles like handlebars. "What is that supposed to mea-" His tip stroked back and forth into her folds, getting acquainted.

" _Here's what I think you should research and write about…"_

Then gently, he pressed into her entrance. "Oh." She huffed. "I have to call you back. Something came up." Hurriedly, Persephone ended the call, her phone jolted out of her grip as Hades thrust into her solidly. "Dammit, Hades." She laughed shortly. "You win."

Hades filled her up from behind and she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't fight it or hide it. Bottled up for so long she practically screamed. Hades grinned, satisfactorily as he picked up speed. She held the back of her head for support. She pictured herself like an ember glowing with fire from the inside out, radiating heat. Hades twisted her arm behind her back and held her wrist. His breaths became shallow and quick. His movements deepened. Persephone struggled to hold her weight against him. She gave up and let him take her. She moaned as he quickened. She could feel him getting closer. She herself couldn't take it much longer.

Hades phone rang and vibrated on the counter. Persephone stiffened. Their journey up the mountain to crest the peak faltered and they both toppled down the path. "You're not gonna answer that are you?"

"No." Hades pulsed slower now, starting over.

The phone rang again. "Still not gonna answer it." Instead, Hades picked up Persephone by her waist and flipped her on her back, moving her legs to rest on his shoulders. He steadied into a rhythm, covering her breasts in his hands loosely to feel them jostle with his pressure.

His phone rang again. Hades sighed. "It must be important." One hand held the phone to his ear, the other rubbed her leg, still resting on his shoulder.

"Hades." He greeted coldly. "Start talking." His face fell. "Demeter. Long time, no see."

Persephone squirmed under him, but he kept her from moving too far. He scooted her further onto the countertop, then climbed up himself, kneeling between her legs. His teeth grinned ear to ear, a wicked glint in his eye.

"Yes, Persephone is performing very well under me." He winked. Persephone blushed and she would have smacked him, but she couldn't focus right now. "She's been such an asset."

Persephone could hear loud screaming coming from the phone in his hand. She couldn't hear what her mother was saying to him, but Hades just quietly continued fucking her. Soft "I see"s and "mhm"s kept Demeter monologuing. Hades paid even less attention to Demeter. He was only paying attention to the way Persephone's body made him feel. It was too good to not give into her completely.

Persephone arched her back, her toes curled, her fingers grasped at the apron, twisting it up. Her neck flushed with color. So close. Seeing her like this, made him even more hungry. He couldn't get enough of her. She covered her mouth as her body clenched around him. A silent orgasm rocketing through her. It pushed Hades over the edge.

Just as his seed planted into Persephone's garden, the oven timer went off. A loud blaring alarm in the kitchen. "Cookies!" Hades exclaimed.

" _What?"_

"Cookies. . . the cookies are done." Hades explained and then immediately regretted it.

" _You. . . made. . . cookies?"_

Persephone sat up, crossing her arms across herself, needing to keep herself contained as the heat seemed to be radiating too much of herself out.

"Um. Yes?"

" _Persephone's with you, isn't she?"_

Hades and Persephone shared a panicked glance. "Nice chat, Demeter. I'm sure we'll talk again soon. Gotta go." Hades hung up quickly.

"She's going to murder us." Persephone pouted. Hades wrapped his arms around her. They were both still on top of the counter. He picked her up and scooted off back down to the floor, holding her steady in his arms. He could feel a shiver travel through her. Not sure if it was from the sex or the thought of her mother's temper.

"No, she won't." He reassured her, pressing his check into her hair.

"She's going to murder _you_."

"Well maybe." He set her back down on her feet and she wobbled. Her hand caught his shirt to hold herself steady. "Lets not worry about your mother's wrath just yet."

The smell of fresh baked cookies filled the room with a cozy aroma. They stood side by side quietly, waiting for the cookies to cool down. Persephone shimmied her warm hand into his. He bent down to kiss her forehead. He pulled at the apron string around her neck lightly. "I like this."

"Me too." Persephone blushed.

"But maybe next time we make cookies, we can ditch it." He grinned ruefully.

* * *

 **AN: aaaah. i'm very nervous about writing smut. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	10. One More Round

**Disclaimer: All characters based on Lore Olympus and greek mythology. So yeah.**

 **I was waiting for a sad episode to post this so that I could perhaps cheer some LO fans up. But honestly, I loved chapter 35. I love Thetis and her messy drama. Anyway. Here's a cute thing for free.**

Summary: I asked myself, what would have happened if Hades had managed to talk to Persephone at that fateful party. If fate (or Eros) hadn't intervened. What would that have looked like. So I present to you this little one shot.

* * *

One More Round

* * *

The music's volume blared so that Zeus had to speak louder, which was never a problem for Zeus. "Word on the street," Zeus' smile never left his eyes. "Is that your marksmanship is excellent but your brother's is still second to none."

Artemis' smile faltered, like a scratch on a record. She took a moment to let his words sink in then when she emerged back she hurtled forward. "Says who!" She poked Zeus' white suit. "I wanna settle this right now!" Her furry set her on edge but her peripherie narrowed in, closing in her sight lines. Zeus pointed in the direction he last saw her brother and she dragged Zeus by his suit collar behind her.

 _Well._ Persephone tapped her glass and waited. She looked back over to Odysseus, the only other person that looked as uncomfortable as she did at the party. He did make her spill her drink and fall on the floor, but she'd never been around so many gods before. It was kind of nice to see a mortal face. She made a decision and walked towards the corner where he sat like a perfect wall flower. But she felt a presence behind her. She blinked.

She spun around. "Hello?" Her nerves gave way to a weird paranoia. Was that Hermes wings? For a second she swore she saw his mischevious grin. When neither Hermes or anyone else appeared from the mob of party people, she sighed. It would have been nice to talk to Hermes outside of the mortal realm. With a sigh, she swung back towards Odysseus, but she hit something.

Her hands flew up instinctively to protect her from whatever she bumped into. "Oof. Oh. I'm sorry!" She blushed, realizing her hands were patting squarely on someone's chest. A nice, broad chest, and an expensive tailored suit.

"No, my apologies. Are you alright?"

Persephone looked up into red intense eyes hiding behind glasses. "Oh yeah. I'm fine. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get in your way." He ran a hand nervously through his hair. _Keep it together._ He suddenly didn't know what to do with his hands anymore. Where do people put their hands? By their side? No. Maybe on a hip? Oh gaia.

"No, it's alright." She grinned up with squinty eyes. "I wasn't really going anywhere. My friend kind of ditched me."

"I thought I knew everyone here." Hades tilted his head. "I don't know you."

Persephone stuck her hand out energetically. "Oh. I'm Persephone, Godess of Spring!"

A smile sprouted on Hades lips. "It's nice to meet you, Persephone." He grabbed her hand, pressing his palm into hers gently.

"And you are?" She raised her eyebrow, expectantly.

He baulked. Then cleared his throat. "Hades. God of the dead." He answered slyly. "King of the Underworld." He pulled his hand back and grabbed his business card.

She collected it in both hands. "You're a long way from home." Persephone reached into her bodice. Hades gulped,and looked away. "So am I." She handed him her own card.

* * *

Zeus had wrangled himself away from Artemis and Apollo and went back up to check on his brothers. Poseidon was still nursing on his ale, observing below.

"Oh. Has Hades left?" Zeus raised his eyebrow when he only saw Poseidon. "I thought he'd be back by now."

"I can't believe I'm saying this." Poseidon took another sip. "But Hades is kind of killing it with Persephone. I think I know why." He pointed at the two of them down below. Zeus's eyes grew big watching them talk animatedly. "Persephone's kind of a major dork."

* * *

Outside in the parking lot, the muted music bleated out. Hermes had Eros in a headlock between two SUVs. "What in Tartarus are you doing?"

"What am I doing? What are you doing?" Eros spat, trying to get his head out from under his arm. Secretly, he didn't mind. Hermes had a certain musk, the perfect blend of windblown and hard work.

"Spotted some mischief." Hermes bent down to whisper in Eros' ear. "That's _my_ game."

* * *

"There's no phone number on this." Hades flipped the card over.

"Oh. Um. Yeah. I don't have. . . a phone." Persephone reached up, as if to twirl a finger through her hair, but remembered too late that it was short.

"You don't have a phone?" Hades asked incredulously.

"Haha." Persephone's eyes slid to the side. "Hey, um. I spilled my drink. I was gonna head to the-"

"Let me get you another drink." Hades straightened up.

"Oh, no. Sorry. My mom - I mean, I should get my own drink." Persephone blanched. "Not that I don't trust you."

"Oh." A bead of sweat formed on his forehead. "I would never-. Uh, no you're right though. People on Olympus can be-." He didn't know how to finish without throwing this conversation in the garbage. "Let's go to the bar together." Cordially, he held out an arm. Persephone grabbed it enthusiastically. The crowd moved around them as they strode towards the drink station, giving way to the King of the Underworld. Persephone liked the space. Hades liked the closeness.

* * *

"It's a tie!" Artemis huffed, undoing the string on her bow.

"Nope. I won. Clearly." Apollo crossed his arms confidently.

Artemis leaned in to the target and inspected the arrow shafts up close. "It's a tie!"

"Fine. If that's what will help you sleep at night." He sighed then swung his arm up around her shoulders. "By the way, don't you have a new roommate?"

"Yes. And she's off limits." She poked her finger at his chest.

"Sure-sure." Apollo waved. "You're supposed to be protecting her aren't you?"

"Yeah, and?"

"You're not doing a good job of it." Apollo nodded towards the inside of the party. Through the large glass window, she could clearly see Hades leaning against the bar and Persephone laughing by his side. A drink in one hand. . . her other hand on his shoulder. Hades smiled and his hands balled up onto his lap, then nervously rang through his hair. She blushed and looked up through long dreamy eyelashes.

Apollo blinked and his sister was gone.

* * *

Poseidon siddled up to the bar. He waved his hand without looking at the bartender. "One more round." He ordered with a slow drawl. He caught his brother's eye. "Hey little lady." He called. Persphone turned around with wide eyes.

"Me?"

"Yes. You." Poseidon said before chugging the beer that was placed in his hands.

Steam rose out from Hades ears and a moth fluttered away from his shoulder. He mouthed behind Persephone's back. _Not the plan._

Poseidon glanced outside meaningfully, hoping Hades would follow his gaze. "I saw you from the balcony." A dumb grin crawled up his face and he had to concentrate. "Come. Dance with me." He said directly. No formality. Didn't even introduce himself. "It is a party."

"Uh." Persephone hesitated. She knew she couldn't say no. "Oh. It would be an honor, but-" Before she could say anything Poseidon grabbed her forearm and pulled her behind him as he staggered towards the dance floor. He smashed his beer glass to the side and the crowd split like oil on water, creating a path for them. Then seeing Hades trailing after Posiedon, they inched even further away.

Fuming, Hades followed close behind. Reaching out, nearly touching her elbow, more for her safety in his brother arms. Then Poseidon stopped abuptly in the middle of the crowd of dancing guests. Poseidon cocked his head to the side, and the sea of people that parted suddenly crashed like waves back together, closing the path.

"What in Tartarus-" Hades began, his eyes glowered at his brother.

"On second thought." Posiedon said with his head still to his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, little lady. I just remembered something." He pushed Persephone's arm towards Hades.

"What?" Persephone blinked, trying to understand what on olympus was happening. The sudden moving and stopping and bubbly. . . she leaned on Hades for support.

"I just remembered that I have a wife. I always forget that." Poseidon barked out a laugh heartily. "I could use another, but why should I have all the fun." He clapped a hand on Hades' shoulder. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That's really not-"

"Dance!" Poseidon grunted and pushed Hades and Persephone together. "Live a little." Ever laughing, he boogied away into the crowd and disapeared into the jirating bodies.

Persephone shook her head. "So. . . that was. . ."

"My brother. Poseidon. He's. . .-" He paused.

"A character."

"To put it nicely." He sighed and rolled his eyes. The music began to change to a slow dramatic ballad. "Well. Um." He looked around, feeling lost on the dance floor. "I suppose. . . since. . . we're here." A bead of sweat trickled down the back of his head. "Persephone, would you like to dance?"

"Really? I mean, sure. But," She tucked her hair behind her ear. "I- now don't laugh." Persephone winced and bit her lip. "I don't know how."

Hades raised an eyebrow. "You don't know how to dance?" She shook her head shyly. "Well, something must be done about that." He held out his hand. His heart skipped a beat when Persephone's soft fingers intwined with his. _So soft._ She accepted the invitation. Her eyes gave him the green light and Hades other hand gently curved to her waist. For a second he forgot how to breath.

She stepped closer. So close, she had to tilt her her to the side so she would have enough space to look up at him.

"Just follow me. You'll be alright." Hades smiled resassuringly.

"Okay." She breathed, instant trust shining in her eyes. He vowed then never to let her down. And then he whisked her to the right, one foot in front of the other, gliding across the dance floor. He made his movements known without a heavy foot, an easy guide with smooth transitions. Her feet barely touched the ground. She spun and lunged and stepped ever so delicately on her toes. He led so smoothly, the perfect angles supported by perfect posture. So grounded, but he gave her the space to twirl; curly loops to his straight lines; roots to her petals. This was a different kind of witchcraft. Flying without the fear of falling.

Eventually they settled into a steady rhythm and caught their breaths.

"You're lucky." Persephone pulled herself closer so that he could hear her.

He looked down to the top of her head, smelling the flowers pressed lightly against his breast pocket. "Lucky?" Hades thought about it. He certaintly felt lucky at this moment.

"You have brothers that love you. Annoy you. But love you." She opened up and twirled away from him. He brought her back spinning her so that she was pressing her back against his chest, her arms crossed in front of her.

"I suppose." He replied.

"I wished I had siblings." She spun back out and in, placing her hand back on his shoulder now.

"You say that." Hades tutted. "But you're also wishing for a real pain in the ass then."

Persephone laughed and Hades wished he could record it, make music of it. Have a whole self of albums dedicated to it. She took her hand away from his and he paused, thinking he must have said something wrong.

"Sorry, it's just. Well -" Hades stammered. Then Persephone reached both hands up to his shoulder, clasping gently at the back of his neck. "Ah, I suppose I let them get under my skin too much." If it weren't for them he wouldn't be having this conversation about them with the sweetest angel he had ever laid his eyes on.

"I never really had friends growing up. It-it would have been nice to share secrets with someone." Persephone sighed. "Have adventures."

"I didn't either." Hades nodded, understanding, but forceably stopping himself from accessing those old memories. "I still don't have friends." He clamped his lips shut. Self pity was not a good color on anyone.

"That's not true." Persephone shook her head and smiled up at him.

"Oh?"

"You've got your brothers." Persephone began to count, holding two fingers up behind his head. "Hera, I imagine. And Hecate."

"Hecate?" Hades raised his eyebrow. "How do you-"

"Am I wrong?"

He thought about it for a second. "I suppose not, but I wouldn't say they're exactly _friends_. They don't exactly come over or call me just because."

"Whose fault is that?" Persephone eyed him slyly.

He frowned.

"When was the last time you invited them to hang out? Or anyone? When was the last time you called Hera just to talk"

Hades pursed his lips. "Ok. I see your point. I just. . . I'm busy."

"Sure." Persephone nodded. They hadn't realized they had stopped dancing, but her arms were still wrapped around his shoulders and his hands held her waist. The rest of the dancers moved in cirlces around their still frames, orbiting their planet. "Trust me, I get it."

"Well, who are your friends?" Hades cocked his head to the side.

"Hmm. All my friends are my mom's friends." She sighed and then her eyebrows furrowed up. "There's. . . no one really that. . . I have. No one that. . . sees me."

Hades stared silently at her sad expression. He saw her in his mind, just moments ago. On the floor as he had seen her from the balcony. That's the sadness he witnessed. She felt forgotten. Unseen. Invisible.

"A bit dramatic. Sorry." Persephone shook her head.

"You know, I am the unseen one. If anyone was going to complain about that, it's me."

"I'm not trying to win the award of sadness."

"Good, because you'd lose." Hades grined mischeviously.

She laughed again. Persephone stepped to the side, and slowly they began to start dancing once more. The song ended and they found themselves on the outskirts of the dance floor.

"You know. I guess I can't say I don't have any friends." She backed away from him and appraised Hades solidly.

"What?"

Suddenly Persephone hugged him, pressing him to her. "Thanks for dancing with me." She smiled up at him, her cheek still shoved up on his suit.

"Any time." His expression matched hers.

"HEY!" Suddenly Artemis' towered over Persephone and she strode in between the tight space between her and Hades. "I've been looking for you. You said one drink."

"I had one more round." Persephone shrugged, taken aback.

"AND YOU." Artemis turned to Hades. Her finger rasied up accusatorily. "Don't you EVER lay a finger on her again or I swear I will-"

"Artemis!" Persephone laughed and she grabbed her roommates wagging finger and placed it back to her side. "Drop it. We were just talking."

"A likely story." She narrowed her eyes, still glaring at Hades.

"Come on." Persephone pulled on Artemis. "Let's go home."

"Fine." Artemis sighed and relinquished her stare.

Before she could say goodbye, Artemis led the way out of the party. As they reached the door, Persephone looked back. She could see Hades' tall outline in the crowd, motionless against the throng of movement. She grinned and waved. Like a shadow, he waved back.

The whole drive home Artemis ranted about how men were pigs, how kings were trash, how brothers were stupid and how they were all dicks. Persephone leaned her head against the cool window staring up at the night sky. Blissfully, her fingers curled around his business card.

* * *

 **AN: Hope you thought this was as cute as I think it is. With NanoWrimo coming up I'm not gonna have fanfic writing time. I do have many ideas for more LO one shots. I keep waiting for when I won't be obsessed anymore and it hasn't happened. Let me know what has been your favorite. Or just like, talk to me about Lore Olympus stuff in general. lol**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **xoxo - Goldie**


	11. Water's Edge (M)

**AN: Oh yeah. I wrote one more smutyish scene for ya before NaNoWriMo started.**

 **Summary: Persephone contemplates by the pool. She and Hades get _wet._**

* * *

Water's Edge

(M)

* * *

Persephone dipped her toes beneath the water's edge and stared at the gentle ripples, mesmerised by the pattern and the pleasant warmth. The underwater lights reflected up through the ripples, casting their own patterns back towards Persephone. She swung her leg up, breaking the surface, and plopped it back down. The displaced water lapped at the ceramic tiles lining the pool. She hummed and hugged the towel tighter around her shoulders. The air-still cool, the water warm and she was half in and half out. Split between two. She closed her eyes and the reflected pool light danced along her eyelid. In the darkness of her mind, she saw the fragments of light like scars on her retina.

Ripples in the water, not her own, tapped her knee, like a whisper saying "you are not alone." She felt him, the vibrations of his presence. She smiled as the ripples grew more frequent against her skin and more powerful. A moving target. When the scars of light behind her eyelids were overshadowed, Persephone finally opened her eyes. Hades waded in the pool in front of her. His red eyes hovered over the surface, reflecting in the water.

Persephone grinned. "Hi." She whispered, the words echoed back. "You look like an animal marking its prey." She unfurled from the towel and patted his wet hair nearly submerging his whole head. Like she had pressed an ancient button, Hades began to emerge up from the water, his head rising with her hand still on top. Water dripped down from his shoulders onto his chest as he stood his full height in the pool.

"Sorry. I was just checking on you." He held his hand out, water spilling over his arm, tracing lines down along his scars before dripping into the pool. Persephone nuzzled her cheek onto his palm. She liked the smell of chlorine mixed with the lingering cologne of Hades.

"I'm fine." She lied, betraying herself with her tell of looking down and away.

"Are you hungry?" Hades asked.

She shook her head.

"Hmm. Liar." Hades playfully splashed water onto her legs.

"Hey!" She laughed and kicked his chest lightly. Water ran up her leg to her thigh and she shivered.

"Cold?" Hades noticed.

Persephone rolled her eyes. "You don't have to baby me."

"It's warmer in here." Hades grinned and he dipped back into the water till it reached his shoulders. His wrist wrapped around her ankles and he pulled teasingly.

"Hades, I just got out." She protested.

"Well, I just got in." Hades replied. He leaned forward and rested his head on her knees.

"Gosh darn it." Persephone sighed and her hand moved his wet tresses away from his forehead. "Why are you so cute?"

"I'm not cute." Hades pouted, and laid his cheek on her lap. "I am the fearsome king of the underworld. The great and scary god of the dead." The corner of his lip rebelled out of his pout into a grin.

"Nah, you're cute." Persephone kept combing his hair.

"That feels nice." He sighed. His warm breath caused goosebumps to raise her skin. He felt them like little tickles on his cheek. "Hmm." He hummed.

After several soft quite minutes of Persephone massaging his head, and feeling his chest rise and fall softly against her legs, she leaned back on her palms. "So." Persephone bit her lip. Hades opened his eyes lazily, like waking up from a good nap. "You're . . . you're not mad at me?"

He breathed in slowly and rose up, lifting his head from her lap. "Mad?" He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why on earth would I be mad?"

"The-" She wagged her head back and forth trying to find the words without going into too much detail. "The photo." She winced saying it. "The rumors. There's a lot of people saying a lot of things about me."

"People say a lot of things. I don't care what _they_ say. I do care what you say." Hades stood up again and walked slowly to the side. He held the edge of the pool, preparing to jump out. "Because I care about you. I don't give a damn about anyone else." He hoisted himself up and out of the pool. Water droplets cascaded down and splattered the ceramic siding. He curled back around and sat next to her, leaving a few inches of space so that he wouldn't get her towel wet.

She stared at the ripples again, past them, seeing beyond them. "It's true." She admitted. "It happened."

Hades nodded. "I see."

"Once." She corrected bitterly. She shook her head out and her hair loosened, growing longer. She tried to clear her thoughts. "I. . .he. . ."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Hades reassured her. "You don't owe me an explanation. I just want to make sure you're okay." Persephone had been staying with him for a few days now, to get away from _him._ This was the safest place she could be if she was trying to avoid Apollo.

"I just want you to know." She shrugged. "I didn't - I didn't want." She bit her tongue and tried to stop the heated tears from welling up. She groaned and hunched over. The ends of her long hair fanned out against the surface of the pool. "I've never been with anyone that didn't hurt me." She kicked the water, a soft splash. "It wasn't good. It hurt. It was like I wasn't even there. Gods, I didn't want to be there. I didn't know what was happening." She rubbed her temple.

Hades folded his hand over hers. At his touch, she fell sideways into him. Her forehead rubbing against his bicep. "Your turn." She whispered into his damp skin. "Balance of power."

Hades pulled his arm out, so he could hug her to him. She leaned now against his chest. "I've never been with someone that. . . actually cared about me. My title, my income, yes. But not me." He sighed. "It's my fault. I was too closed off. I never let anyone in."

"You let me in." Persephone looked up at him and entwined her hand around his.

"I did." Hades nodded. His walls were down, his eyes vulnerable.

"I care." Persephone nuzzled her nose and cheek close to his chest, then she got on her knees so they were seeing eye to eye. Hades wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She hugged him with her full body weight, her hands tangled up into his hair.

He whispered into her ear, "I would never hurt you."

She hugged him tighter and moved her legs, wrapping them around his waist. Hades leaned back and Persephone moved with him. She pulled his face down, holding him in both of her small soft hands. "I trust you." She confessed.

Hades melted into her palms. Lightly, her lips grazed against his. His lips parted around hers and arched up, filling every gap she could. He tasted like chlorine and cognac. She shrugged the towel off and balled it up, placing it behind Hades.

He leaned back, his head using the towel as a pillow. She came up for air and stared at his body. Her hands touching him freely. Not worried about the scandals or the eyes of others, or anyone else's opinion. It didn't matter what she did, the world was just going to screw her over. She let go of trying to keep up with everyone else's expectation. She was free. She could do what she wanted.

And what she wanted was Hades.

Her hands traced the scars lightly across his chest, then moved to counting his ribs, his abs, his hands left water streaks across his body where he hadn't dried off yet. Exploring his body as much as she could. Feasting on what she had been holding back for so long. She crouched on top of him to kiss him, hungrier than before. Hades was only happy to provide for her. A different sort of energy in his kiss now. He kept his hands neutral to the side, not wanting to go too far. Persephone was in control.

She realized this when she pulled back again for air and looked at his red eyes watching her, waiting almost peaceful. She grinned and bent back down, kissing his jaw and tracing a line with her nose to his chin. With a tight tug, she pulled the straps of her bathing suit undone and the they fell to Hades chest. His calm eyes shifted for a moment to something Persephone didn't recognize. She placed her hand on his and guided him to her now exposed breast. As soon as his fingers brushed against her soft rounded curves, it was like a switch flipped and the placid king beneath her turned on, taking the reins of the task he'd been assigned. His other hand joined it's twin and rubbed from her belly up through her cleavage. She hummed. His hands were like gloves. A perfect fit. As he held her in her palms, Persephone reached back and felt his swim trunks, blindly following the source of the tension in the threads. Nervously, she pulled up his shorts and gulped. She felt him. And then she froze on top of him.

"Persephone?" Hades withdrew his hands. "Are you okay?"

Slowly, she slid off of him. Her eyes still blankly staring off.

"Persephone?" Hades sat up, concerned.

Without moving her head, her eyes zoomed to his erection. She bit her lip.

"Is everything okay?" With the back of his hand softly, he stroked her cheek softly. "Did I do something wrong?"

Persephone shook her head and blood rushed to her cheeks, warming his hand with her blush. "It's just that." She gulped. "You're really big." She stated softly. Her face twisted up into a incredulous expression.

Relieved, Hades chuckled. "Oh." He wiped his forehead and laid back down. "You think?" A wry grin splashed his face.

Persephone scoffed, her nerves turning to teasing anger. "Don't act like you don't know." She pointed at his crotch and exclaimed, "You're. . . you're massive!"

Hades delighted in her perplexed expression. "Is that a problem?"

Her eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, Hades. It is. Do you see me?" She gestured to her body. "I'm very small." Her anger tamed down, back into self conscious nerves. "And-and inexperienced. And. . . and it's not gonna fit." She clapped her hands on her face. Hades wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. She wasn't joking anymore and her very real fear showed through. That they weren't going to be compatible.

"It's okay." He reassured her. "We'll go slow. As slow as you need. And if you change your mind, that's fine." He patted her hair. "Whatever you're comfortable with."

"What if we can't-" Persephone fretted.

"You can. You just have to get warmed up." Hades pressed his lips to her ear. "Trust me?"

Persephone nodded.

"You're still unsure."

Persephone nodded.

Hades chuckled again, unable to hide his proud smile as he pressed Persephone's back down to where he was laying, making sure the towel was placed behind her head comfortably.

"You're cute." He whispered, his drying fluffy hair falling down around his face. Their lips joined again. His hand wandered down her body to her thighs and back up again to her boobs. He circled her areola delicately.

"You think I'm silly." Persephone pouted.

"No. Never." Hades shook his head. Kissing her nose. His fingers crawling back down to her hips. "I think you've been hurt before and you're scared." He nuzzled into her neck. "I won't hurt you, Persephone." His fingers made their way over her bikini bottoms to her mons venus and climbed over to the otherside.

Persephone gasped. She was so sensitive. Hades rubbed her softly then dipped his fingers under the fabric, pulling. Persephone shimmed them off. "That's better." She sighed and opened her legs again. Hades crawled between them and took a moment to look at her.

"What?" Persephone bit her lip, entirely exposed.

"You're naked." Hades grinned.

"And what are you gonna do about it?" Persephone grinned back.

Hades showed her. He grabbed her legs and then roamed up to grip her hips. He planted kisses down her thighs, her skin grew warmer and warmer the closer he got. He jumped to the other thigh and kissed up. His nose trailed down. His hands pulled her closer. She hummed and folded her arms across her chest, not sure what to do with them.

When Hades had made his way up to her knee, he stuck his tongue out, and dragged it lightly back down. The path he made, both heat and coolness. Her toes his tongue found his way home and Persephone's hands dug into his hair automatically. Keeping him there. Tired of being teased. It was time for Hades to get to work.

And as always, Hades was very good at his job.

"Oh." Persephone cooed and rolled her head back into the towel. _So that's what that feel like._ "Ah." Hades sucked her up lightly, then swirled her back into into his tongue.

He looked up for a second. "Fingers?" He asked.

"Huh?" Persephone looked down through half raised eyelids, slightly miffed he stopped.

"I'd like to put my fingers inside you." He asserted his wishes so formally.

"Oh." Persephone gulped again. "Uh Huh." She nodded approvingly.

With the go ahead he came back down on her, his right hand dragged across her thigh and up under his chin. One finger, prying apart her folds, another digging in, slipping easily into her, feeling the curves inside her press against his knuckles. "Easy." He whispered into her clit.

Two fingers. She gasped, arched back and spread her legs wider. He played with her here, pushing and pulling into her. He began to pick up what she liked by the way she gripped his hair. Using that as a guide, he pulled his fingers out, his chin moved down and now his tongue lapped down into her, tunneling, exploring her depths and tasting her essence. Drinking her in. When he pulled up for air, Persephone met his gaze and he watched her eyes as he wiggled three fingers where his tongue had just been. She rolled back and winced. "Mmm."

"Is this okay?" Hades watched her carefully.

"You have big fingers too." She murmured, no wind behind her speech.

Hades rolled his eyes. "But is this okay?"

She nodded and blushed. "More. Please."

"So polite." With his fingers still working inside her he leaned down and crashed into her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and wrapped her knees up to his hips. With his free hand, he pulled his shorts down and kicked them off to the side. Persephone smiled into their kiss.

"Now _you're_ naked." She giggled but shut up as he shifted her hips up and she felt his erection rub against her thigh. Her nerves crept in again. And the heat she felt there made the rest of her feel so cold. She squeezed her knees on Hade's side.

"Slowly." Hades whispered into her neck, feeling her tense up. "Relax." He smiled up at her and kissed her cheek.

"Okay." She sighed and nodded.

"It might be a bit uncomfortable for the first few thrusts. But it shouldn't hurt."

She nodded again.

"Just let me know if you want me to stop."

"Okay. Okay." She rolled her eyes. "I get it. You're nice. Now fuck me."

"As you wish." Hades lined up and worked his tip into her.

"Oh."

He moved slowly, pressing a little deeper and then stopped suddenly as he couldn't go any further.

"Ah. Stop." She shook her head and wiggled out from underneath him. Her hands flew up to her face embarrassed. "I'm not ready yet. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's okay."

"I'm just cold and the ground is hard and-"

Hades whisked her up into his arms taking her breath away. He sat down at the edge of the pool and then slid into the water with her still in his arms. The heated pool covered her like a warm blanket and she sighed appreciatively.

"Better?"

"Yeah." She rubbed her body closer to his, getting as close as possible. She loved the warmth of the water but wanted something hotter. He kissed her forehead and walked her towards the deep end.

"Now what are you so worried about?" Hades pulled his knees up and Persephone floated in his lap while he waded with his arms keeping them up.

"Well, I'm worried about not being able to plea-" Her words got cut short as Hades pinched her nipple lightly and pulled her body closer to him. "Not being able to-" Hades swam forward, his chest pushing her to the edge of the pool. He pinned her to the wall with his arms on either side of her head. His nose dragged down her jawline, down her throat, and he lowered down into the water, moving his nose across her clavicle. "Not-" Her eyes unfocused as Hades whole head dipped into the water. His teeth nipping gently at her breast then continuing down.

"Oh for the love of-" Persephone tilted her head back. She was too inside her head. She was thinking too much. She just had to do it. She wanted Hades. It was time to take him.

Persephone pulled Hades back up to the surface from his hair. She wrapped her legs around his hips eagerly. Hades lips were still dripping, but she plunged in, open mouthed until he let her in and their tongues met aggressively.

Persephone reached between her legs and found him. Her hand and his dick made acquaintances.

"I want you." Persephone sighed, making her intentions clear. Hades breath grew shallow.

"You have me." Hades gripped the edge of the pool with one hand, the other holding her up.

She plunged down onto him. "Ah." She winced as his erection filled her up. Hades held her, not sure yet if this was discomfort or pleasure. She crashed onto him again. And again, each time the lines in her forehead becoming less like worry.

"Is this okay?" Hades asked sheepishly.

"Uhuh." She managed to answer. Pink eyes blinked wildly with this entirely new and overwhelming sensation. Like an earthquake, deep beneath the surface friction that opened her up in new ways, crumbling apart around him. Yet, somehow made to feel whole. Breathlessly, she clasped on to him, but her hands couldn't seem to grip him, she lost control of her strength. He wrapped himself around her, cradling her to him. Thrusting softly. The ripples they created in the water lapped back onto them. He groaned, his eyes dimmed and a slappy smile grew on his face. The pool water turned into a kind of rhythmic current along with them. A back beat to their lovemaking. Like tides, they pushed and pulled on each other. Dragging further, going deeper, hands everywhere. Heads tilted back. Sighs and moans and grunts echoed around the walls. Sensation everywhere. Warmth everywhere. Wet everywhere. Persephone everywhere on Hades. She pulled her leg out, not able to stand the temperature anymore. It was all too much and she had stopped counting how many rolling orgasms were richoteching down to her toes and back up. Hades never sped up. "Kore." He moaned. His movements only changed in depth and vigor. "Kore." He gripped her ass, preventing her from moving and a long sigh escaped his lips. She squeezed around him. Her hands balled up into fists in his hair.

"Kore. Kore. Kore." Hades murmured on the edge. His hips connected into her more intensely. Urgently. Desperately. "P-P-Persephone... Ah." He moaned and then quickly pulled her up to kissed her. The panted softly into each other's hair then Persephone dropped down, releasing her leg around his waist and stood on her tiptoes in the pool, barely keeping her chin above water.

She grinned at his happy and tired expression. "So was that okay?" She smiled up at him, big shining eyes.

"Okay?" Hades huffed incredulously. He slapped the water and splashed her. "Okay? Kore, that was-" He shook his head at a loss for words. "You-"

"Yeah. Ditto." She sighed. And blushed up at him.

"Wasn't so bad, then?" He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously and he backstoked towards the ladder out. "Taking my, what did you say, massive penis?"

Persephone grumbled. "You're not gonna let me live that down are you?"

"Never." Hades shook his head and helped Persephone out of the pool. He pulled two fresh dry towels off the stand and rubbed Persephone down.

"Really, how are you?" The sly glint faded into sincerity.

"I feel like I'm floating." Persephone assessed herself. She didn't even realize Hades was drying her off until he was done. She felt light as a feather and warm inside and out. "I'm. . ." She paused. "Happy."

Her stomach gurgled. "Oh and I am hungry. I lied about that earlier. I'm starving."

"I know." Hades chuckled. They traipsed back into the main house.

* * *

 **I never know how to end these. meh. Leave a "thumbs up" in the comments if you liked it! Or use your own words.  
xoxo Goldie. **


	12. Errant Dog

**One shots based on Lore Olympus: Retelling of the Abduction of Persephone**

 **AN: So. . . I wasn't gonna write any more fanfic during nanowrimo. . . but I couldn't help myself after the last chapter. Cerberus is a VERY good boy.**

* * *

Errant Dog

* * *

The warm sunlight on her skin soaked down into her bones. Persephone stretched, her feet pushing up against the soft belly of Cerberus. At her touch, he stretched too, groaning sleepily then moved his head over, resting it on Persephone's lap, lazily biting at the air before settling down. Another deep comfy hum emitted from his large barreled chest. Persephone yawned and leaned her head against the tree while her hands found Cerberus's ears and gently massaged them, scratching behind them. When Persephone stopped, Cerberus's eyes opened and he moved closer, gently nudging into her abdomen. She smiled and continued petting his head. "You like this?"

His deep contented sigh, so strangely human, served as an answer.

"That's a good boy." Persephone cooed. Cerberus's tail wagged once with a great flop before he drifted back off to sleep.

Persephone followed after. She felt aglow basking in the sunshine and the warmth of Cerberus and his gentle steady breathing. She didn't even realize she had fallen asleep until she woke up. The dying evening light shown through the horizon. Cerberus had barely moved. His head instead of on her lap was brushed up against her thigh on the ground. She could feel his hot breath on her skin. She blinked a few times and stretched her arms out. "Hey Cerby." She said softly, petting his head gently. "It's time to go home." Cerberus opened his eyes wearily and started to pull himself up to his feet. Persephone did the same, grabbing her backpack on the way and swinging it up around her shoulders.

"Do you know the way home?" Persephone tilted her head to the side. Cerberus's wise eyes held steady. "Hmm." She combed her fingers through his fur. "Hades is probably wondering where you are, huh?" She wasn't sure, but she thought for a moment that he shrugged under her hand. "Well. I need to make sure you get home okay. Least I can do. And then I can explain where you've been so Hades doesn't get worried." Cerberus tilted his head, his ears flopping over slightly. "Which way is it?"

Cerberus stood tall and pointed with his nose out and his front paw lifted.

"Good boy." Persephone grinned. "Let's go." As Persephone traipsed forward, something pulled her back. Cerberus gently pulling at bottom of her dress until she stopped and turned back. "What's up? I'll take you home."

Cerberus's tongue dropped out of his mouth and his eyes lit up. Persephone tried to move again, but Cerberus kept her back. "Well." Persephone sighed. "Do you want me to take you home or not?" She held her hands at her hips exasperated.

Cerberus let go and took a few steps back. As he did, his size grew until he was taller than the tree they rested under. His paw reaching up to her kneecap. He shook out his fur, wiggling down through his tail. Persephone backed up a few paces just so she could see all of him.

"Hey, what's the big deal?" She shouted up at him. Cerberus lowered his head to the ground between his paws and huffed, throwing his eyes back, meaningfully.

The elevator door opened. Minthe stepped out first, looking down at her phone. "I'll wait outside." She muttered then click clacked across the lobby. Hades sighed and walked towards the first terminal. He looked around. The terminal was usually clear at this time, knowing that Cerberus would be coming this way. The floor wasn't reverberating with his footsteps. In fact, some people were lingering away in the large hall, unaffected.

Hades raised his eyebrows. He stood a moment longer then checked his watch. "Cerberus?" While tapping his foot, he scratched his head. Hades walked towards the doors, the swarm of workers leaving at 5 o'clock made way, like oil on water. Something was wrong. He strode towards Styx as she was about to dip into her small convertible.

"Styx." Hades frowned. "Have you seen Cerberus? He's usually waiting in terminal 1 for me."

"Cerberus?" Styx turned slowly on her toes and held herself on the frame of the car. "Oh. Well. Now that you mention it." She tapped on her chin. "I saw him leap across my river earlier this afternoon."

"What?" Hades' frown deepened.

"Yes. I thought it was unusual." Styx blinked.

"And you . . . didn't think to inform me?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't think it was important. I figured he was running an errand for you."

"Well, you figured wrong. Try errant behavior." Hades crossed his arms. This was very unusual behavior indeed. Cerberus would only leave his post if there was trouble. He looked south towards the pits of Tartarus a lingering fear wiggling in his core.

"What's the hold up?" Minthe sidled up next to Hades a look of impatience twisting up her lip. Hades ignored the hand on the small of his back and continued. "Which-which way did he-" Then he felt the ground shake. A steady rhythm rising from the paved floor. His eyes still on Tartarus, but the sounds of quick scuffling and shouts of panic arose behind him.

"Oh, for Atlas's sake." Minthe grumbled as she saw the source of the commotion.

Hades cocked his head to the side. Cerberus in his highest form marched down the main road. His three heads, wary, snarling on either side. Drool dripping on the sidewalks. The crowd leaving from all four Hades towers backed away and stared open mouthed. They ran from the streets, worried about being crushed to death under his gigantic paws. The pavement nearly splintered with his weight. A strange white cord was wrapped around his neck. Hades walked towards the road, not worried about traffic as it had completely stopped at the sight of a free roaming angry Cerberus.

A few blocks away, Cerberus's tongue hung out and the two heads on either side dematerialized. Revealing a pink figure riding on his back. She stood up on his back, holding onto the flowers weaved around Cerberus's neck in a makeshift collar. Her shoulder length hair, blowing gracefully in the breeze. She looked like a gentle warrior atop the mast of a battleship, cruising into victory.

Whispers began to shuffle between the crowd. "Who is she?" For what creature could be bold and brave enough to ride the king of the underworld's magic guardian into his own realm. Surly, a fearsome creature. A dreadful goddess. "Who is she?"

Following Cerberus's gaze, Persephone waved at Hades.

"Hi!" Persephone called. Her warm voice cut through the suddenly hushed and cold air. "I found your dog!" She smiled, pointing to Cerberus as if that needed further explanation.

As the vicious and brutal protector of the underworld strode down the street with a small pink goddess nestled between his shoulder blades, jaws dropped to the floor, Hades included

Cerberus stopped six parking spaces away, then stretched his hiny up into the air, lowering his head to the ground. A happy groan rumbled through his chest as he finished stretching. He looked back up at Persephone still clinging onto his fur and his flower collar. She nodded, understanding.

Softly, Persephone slid down Cerberus's neck. The hem of her dress rising up slightly on her thigh. The moment she touched down on the ground, Cerberus began to shrink back down but following closely next to Persephone's side. By the time she was standing in front of Hades, Cerberus was his normal "inside dog" size.

"I figured you might be wondering where he had gotten off to." Persephone patted Cerberus's head. He panted happily in response. Hades still hadn't worked out how to find his voice again quite yet. He simply looked back and forth between Cerberus and Persephone and her small hand in his fur.

"I hope it's alright that he left. He actually did me quite the favor. His timing is impeccable." Persephone continued after Hade's jaw still wouldn't work right. She turned to Cerberus. "Isn't that right?" She cooed in a gushy baby voice. "You're a good boy, yes you are." She wrapped both hands around his head and scratched behind his head and under his jowls. Cerberus's tail wagged enthusiastically and he licked Persephone's face. Did Cerberus groan or was that Hades? Genuinely, she laughed and pulled back up and eyed just past Hades at the crowd that had slowly moved forward to get a better view. Most of them looked confused and intrigued. A red nymph a few paces back however, looked incensed. Persephone smiled up at Hades.

"Well, it was good seeing you again." Persephone took a few steps back. "I better get going. I've got to research computer parts."

Hades staggered forward, breaking out of his statue stillness. "I'm sorry if Cerberus caused you problems. He's normally so well behaved."

"Oh, no problem at all." Persephone shook her head and waved Hades' statements away. "After. . ." Persephone hesitated. "To be honest, I kept him longer than I should have. We took a nap under a tree and then after I studied for a few hours, we got ice cream. I hope you don't mind. He's good company."

"R-Really?" Hades ran a hand through his hair. "No. I don't mind at all." He thought of his dog spending that time with Persephone. His dog, watching over her as she studied. His dog, wrapped in her arms on the soft green grass. His dog sitting next to her as they both licked up ice cream. Something akin to jealousy rose, but then was stamped out with the realization that his dog, was loved by her. His dog was not a normal dog. His dog, an extension of the underworld. His dog, an extension of himself.

His dog choosing her side.

Hades blinked a couple of times. "I'm sorry you had to come all the way here. He knows his way home."

"Oh." Persephone stood on one foot. "Yeah, I figured."

"But. It is. . . nice to see you. I've been trying to get a hold of you." Hades furrowed his eyebrows, then scanned the crowd. Too many people. Too many eyes. This is what Hecate was warning him about. This would make things worse. "I wanted to see how you were doing after the tabloid. . ."

Persephone laughed. "Oh that? What idiots." She waved it off.

"I'm glad you're alright. Do you-" Hades hesitated, staring back down the long road behind her. "Do you need a ride back?" He could hear Minthe raging behind him, but he couldn't take it back now.

Persephone shook her head, a blush rising up. "Thank you for the offer but no. I'm kind of restless right now and need the airtime." She shrugged, not expanding on her statement. "I better go. We're causing quite the traffic hold up." She frowned at the cars stopped at odd angles along the street to stare at the spectacle. Shaking her head, she turned. As she started to walk away, Cerberus bounded around her and barked, stopping her. "Hey buddy. It's okay." She offered her hand out and Cerberus dipped his forehead onto it. He started to whine, a desperate high pitched sound. "Buddy, buddy." She cooed. "You know I can't stay here."

Cerberus barked.

"Come on." Persephone sighed, her voice growing quiet. "Besides, he needs you." Persephone and Cerberus both looked back at Hades. Hades raised his eyebrow and then Persephone and Cerberus turned back towards each other. She smiled and Cerberus stuck his tongue out. He bounded towards the large flower collar left on the ground and dragged it with his teeth towards Persephone.

"You want another one?"

Cerberus wagged his tail.

"Alright. But then I really do have to go." Persephone knelt on the ground with the wide collar in her hands and began to separate some of the flowers, forming a new chain. When she rose up, she placed it on Cerberus's head. He chirped happily. Persephone took another glance at Hades, who watched their interaction with a mix of confusion and elation. She turned back to Cerberus and dug her face into the side of his head and whispered, "Thank you for rescuing me. You'll see me again. You know that, right?"

Cerberus grunted and leaned into her.

"You're my good boy."

His tail wagged again, a loud flop on the road.

Persephone released herself and backed up. She waved at Hades again. "See you tomorrow!"

Hades waved lamely back. "Se-see you. . . wait, what?"

But Persephone had turned around and after a few more steps, she disappeared into a cloud of flower petals, a large pink butterfly floating away into the darkness.


	13. Six Feet

**AN: I've been listening to a lot of angsty trap music and that's how this one shot was born. I know I've already done an arena fight scene with Persephone and Apollo . . . but it's like potato chips. You can't have just one. Is this like Trial of Apollo? Yes...only this time with weapons? This one is quicker and shorter and just gets you right into it. (that's author speak for "I'm busy and have many things on my plate right now")**

 **Summary: Persephone is not going to let Apollo gaslight her. No more words. Put your dukes up.**

* * *

Six Feet

* * *

"Persie girl." Apollo lips curled as he called out to her among the crowd. He stalked forward, a playful smile on his lips, but his eyes were dead and serious. She'd been ignoring his texts. But she couldn't hide for long. She saw Hades standing near the back. Quickly, she edged around the room towards him, but then Apollo caught her.

"Let go of me." She hissed.

"We need to talk." He said in a hushed tone as not to cause alarm to the rest of the party.

Persephone flicked his hand off her, then deftly grabbed his wrist in her own. "No more talking. We settle this in the arena." Her tone was not quiet. Several cliques stopped their raucous chatter to listen in.

"You want to fight?" Apollo scoffed.

"What?" She raised her eyebrow. "Are you scarred?"

Apollo looked around at all the staring faces. "It's just. . . I don't want to fight a lady." He held his hands up, defencelessly.

"It's a damn fine time to start treating me like a lady now. You should have thought about that before. Why start now?" Persephone grinned maliciously, calling back to their conversation in his car.

"You sure about this, Persie?" He folded his arms across his chest, toying with the idea. "I'm a skilled fighter. This isn't play time in your garden."

Persephone snarled. "I could fight you blindfolded."

"Yeah? Well, I could defeat you one handed." He bit back.

A flicker of a grin twitched on Persephone's lips. "Shake on it."

"Fine." He held his hand out.

"Fine." Persephone matched his tone. "We fight. You win, you can do whatever you want with me. I win, you never come around near me again."

There hands met angrily. A glow erupted from their hands, binding them.

* * *

The crowd start chanting. "Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight." The stadium lights lit the arena with a buzzing harsh electric pull. Dusk was settling in. Half the sky melting from blue to orange as Helios walked further and further away. The normal lines in the dirt, for the regular sporting activities in the stadium had been washed away.

The dirt, sprayed down, so it would be more compact crunched slightly as Apollo walked out onto the field. He sported track pants and a yellow warm up hoodie. He waved at the crowd that began cheering, calling his name. He played them up, winking at the nymphs nearly falling out of their seats to get a better look at him. His clothes shifted like a mirage from his athletic wear to a set of greek battle armor. His hoodie, for one second turning into a shiny breastplate and helmet. As he neared the middle ring wear the King sat, his clothing settled back to his modern wear.

Persephone emerged from the other entrance. The crowd didn't know how to react and she didn't play into them. She walked calmly but with stoic determination to the middle.

"Fighters." Hermes hopped up on the edge of the Arena platform, acting as emcee for the event. "Choose your weapon!" He showcased the rack of impressive weaponry leaning against the side of the wall.

Apollo walked forward first without any hesitation and plucked a weapon from the rack.

"A bow. How surprising." Hermes commentated. "Persephone? What say you?"

Persephone tilted her head, eyeing the staffs, swords, whips, daggers, polearms, javelins. Nothing seemed quite her flavor. She gazed down, eyeing each weapon, tossing and turning the idea in her head. Unsatisfied until she saw the tools left a few feet away from the armory. She glided past Apollo and her hands gripped around the handle of her weapon of choice.

"Oh come on now." Apollo laughed. "That's not even a weapon. Geez, Persie. I'm beginning to think you don't want to win. This is going to be a quick fight."

"Yes." Persephone swung the old shovel up around her shoulders casually. "It will be."

Hermes leaned away from his mic. "Are you sure, you don't want something like. . . I don't know. . . a sword?"

"This'll do." Persephone smiled peacefully.

"Okay." Hermes eyes widened incredulously then put his lips back on the mic. "Our fighters have chosen their weapons. Now. As set forth for the rules of the match, Apollo, you will have a hand tied behind your back. If you break out of it, you forfeit. Persephone. You will be blindfolded. If you remove your blindfold at anytime, you forfeit. You must remain within the walls of the arena. The winner will be decided when their opponent has been restrained, knocked out, unable to stand, or surrenders. Shake hands if you agree to these terms."

Apollo sneered viciously and held out his hand. Persephone gracefully shook it.

"Alright. Find your places, then we'll bind you as the terms state." Hermes yawned, getting rather bored with all the formalities. They each walked towards the ends of the field.

A magic cloth appeared and pinned Apollo's left hand around his back, tying his shoulder along with it, to hold his arm there. Persephone's eyes likewise were covered with a magic band. No light could pass through it. She breathed in, filling her lungs to the brim then exhaled and shook out her shoulders. Quietly, she slipped out of her tennis shoes. Her bare feet on the dirt, and her lips twitched again.

"Are our fighters ready?"

"Ready." They both replied.

"Begin in three, two, one." A gong sounded.

Quickly Apollo pulled up his bow, holding the grip in his hand and the string in his mouth. As accomplished as he was, even with the handicap of not having his good hand, he could still make any shot in any position. Just as he clenched his teeth from the string, his foot sunk into the earth and his right hand flew up. The arrow released and flew up, hitting right into the far back stadium lights. The buzzing hum of the lights died with a loud pop followed by a slow whir. Persephone's side of the field sectioned off in darkness, one light at a time.

"A fluke." Apollo shrugged and wrangled his foot from the ground. He could barely see Persephone's outline. She hadn't moved. At this distance he was still at the advantage even in dim lighting. There was enough on his side for him to see accurately enough. Persephone only had a melee weapon, if you could call it a weapon. She would have to be much closer. It didn't appear that she had any intention of moving. "Begging for it." He rolled his eyes. This would be over quick enough. He thumbed the fletching of the next arrow and knocked it. He moved this time, keeping a steady gait. She was blind, and couldn't trace him. He pulled the string back with his mouth once again. Aiming for her chest, a large enough target. A steadying breath. . .

Schlump.

This time he sank so far into the ground that he spun up on his back to avoid falling on his face. The arrow he let fly hit the electrical box on the far right column up above. It buzzed, hissed, and then sparks flew out as every light in the arena went dark. Angrily, Apollo threw his bow to the side. _Fine. If this is how she's going to play. If she wants to get physical. Then let it get physical._ He had more strength than she did. If it came to a brawl, he could overpower her. Crawling back up to his feet, Apollo eyed the other end of the field. But he couldn't see anything.

People in the crowd began screaming at the lack of light. Some annoyed, others frightened, most were just upset they couldn't see what was happening. Shuffling could be heard all around as were the whispers between the shouting.

Hermes voice echoed through the arena on the loudspeaker: "We're getting our emergency back up lights up in just a moment. Don't want to miss any of the action."

There wouldn't be much more action. In a full dash, Apollo bolted through the arena, his eyes alight with the glow of the sun. He didn't need the back-up generators to see. He was the light. By the time the generators were turned on, the crowd would see him standing victoriously over his opponent. He kept his feet off the ground as much as possible. He knew her game now. He wouldn't be caught the fool again.

And then he ran face first into something cold and hard, knocking him on his back. He blinked, and the light vanished from his eyes. The sun lowered into the sky. The orange hues rolling over into a dark dusk. He heard the strangest series of noises. A metallic scraping. But rapid. He didn't just hear it. He felt it. Felt it all around him with his back to the ground.

Thud. Scrape. Swish. Over and over again. He blinked a few times. Had his nose always felt like this?

Thud. Scrape. Swish. He blinked again.

Thud. Scrape. Swish. _Shit. Get up. Get up._

When arose again, a loud switch turned on. Then a buzz followed it as red emergency lights began to flicker on, alongside the walls for the arena. The crowd gasped as they could finally see what had been happening inside the arena. Apollo stood in the middle. Surrounding him were holes, dug into the dirt. Long rectangles carved out of the ground. He stepped towards one and peered over into the hole that was exactly six feet deep. These weren't just any kind of holes. He straightened up and saw that the whole field was full up with graves.

The hair on Apollo's arm stood on end, a soft pink in the red light. Persephone couldn't be seen anywhere. He peered into another grave. Empty. She had to be hiding. He looked out at rows and rows of graves. He made an irritating clicking sound out the side of his mouth. _How annoying._ He thought this would be over quickly, but he wasn't expecting this. He rubbed his nose and winced. How did he not see her coming? He shook himself out. Now was not the time.

He stepped lightly now. The red lights glaring eerily over the now empty cemetery Persephone created of the arena field. Peering over every grave.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." He sang lowly. "Let's get this over with, Persephone. Enough games. We fight now. No gimmicks or tricks, like the lights. Let's finish this." He saw the sleeve of a white hoodie draped along the side of one of the graves. "Got you." He whispered to himself. "Come out and play, Persephone." He snarled.

The ground shook. The walls of the graves began to crumbled in, throwing Apollo off balance. He darted towards the hoodie, jumping over the loosening dirt. "GOTCHA!" He yelled as he threw himself over the hole, but it had collapsed in. He dug his hand into the dirt. "Come on!" He tried to grab her. "Come out and let's finish this!" He tossed the dirt to the side.

A pink hand arose from the grave next over.

"Ha." Apollo shrugged. Movement caught in his perripherie. "I knew you were in that one, I was just-" But then his face froze and the smile was knocked clean off of him. From every grave, Persephone emerged. Small, pink goddesses filled the arena, one by one, dusting the dirt off their clothes, smelling the air, stretching their arms, and then all at once, turning towards him. A sea of blindfolded Persephone's. Their white clothes glowed red, her pink skin dark. Her hair, on some cut short, on others, long, still others, had theirs up in a bun or ponytail. They all wore her white yoga pants, barefoot. Sports bra and the sash around her eyes. He couldn't count how many there were.

"Shit." Apollo backed up. He had been mistaken. The arena field was not a cemetary, but a garden. She wasn't suggesting his death, but foretelling her rebirth. Over and over again.

Their march forward was even, unhurried, and calm. Pink and red bodies looped around the sunken holes in the earth without much effort. Each Persephone had their eyes covered in the magic cloth, but they moved their head in unison. A finger rose from the nearest one, and all of them began pointing at Apollo. Secret accusations never told, pointing directly at him. Worst than a thousand stares. Unseen sight.

Apollo flipped towards the other direction and scrambled towards his bow that he had tossed. Still, the Persephones continued their slow march, not speeding up to match him.

Quickly, with one shaking hand he knocked the arrow. And sunk it into the nearest Persephone. But instead of sinking, it flew right through her. The moment right before the arrow landed, her skin turned into the leaves of a bush and the arrow past right through her, leaving no mark or wound. Apollo gasped. It took a few seconds before she turned back into the pink goddess again, shaking out her leave to form smooth skin, but it did buy him enough time to knock another arrow. Another Persephone was gaining on him. He aimed for her head. This time, just as it was about to pierce into her skull, the arrow burst into a dozen petals and they fell gracefully to the ground. He pulled another arrow out of his quicker, pulled the string with his mouth, this time aiming for the furthest Persephone. If he could find the real Persephone, the others would disappear, right? She would be at the back.

However, before he could see whether or not he managed to hit his target, the first Persephones blocked his view. The stepped forward together, in harmony. Marching onward. The emergency light dousing them in red light, making them look even more sinister as they cornered their prey. Apollo shuffled back. He reached for another arrow, but his hands merely found a bouquet of flowers in his quiver.

They opened their mouths, but the echoing whispers didn't come from them. "You know what you did." A clear voice said behind him.

"Huh?" Apollo whipped around in time to see Persephone standing behind him with a shovel in her hand. She smacked him across the face so hard, his whole body swung into the shallow grave beside him. The other Persephone's ran now, leaping on top of him, turning into a thicket of vines around him. His screams turned muffled, horrified. Persephone picked up her shovel again and piled on dirt onto Apollo's writhing body, already buried under layers of vines and flowers and thorns.

Thud. Scrape. Swish.

The grave filled now. The garden, planted.

Apollo's muffled screams stopped suddenly.

Persephone sighed and leaned against the shovel, wiping the sweat off her forehead. She had already won. Hermes had all but called it earlier when she first hit him with the shovel and knocked him out, but no one could hear it. No one could see it.

With a twist of her palm, the grave shook and sprouting out was a large pomegranate tree. Apollo's form, spliced into the trunk, unconscious and trapped. His good arm outstretched, into the limb of the tree, reaching towards her. She plucked a pomegranate from it's boughs.

"Thanks Apollo." She smiled while her foot flipped the shovel up with ease. She smashed the fruit on the blade, opening it up so she could eat the seeds inside. "Just what I wanted."

* * *

 **AN: I admit. This isn't as well written as Trial of Apollo but I JUST WANTED TO WRITE IT.**


	14. King Sized Space (M)

Summary:

It's time for the annual above ground inspection. But Persephone is more worried about keeping her desires under covers.

Rated: M

* * *

King Sized Space

Rated M

* * *

On tip-toes, Persephone slinked her way down the cold dark hardwood floors. She gripped the fabric tighter around her and let the long edges drag behind her ankles, a quiet swooshing as she made her way down the hallway. Everything around her was dark but she wasn't afraid. She could see her breath in front of her but she wasn't cold. She was drawn towards the room at the end like a moth to a flame. Something inside of her, like a current, propelled her towards it. She turned the handle, and suddenly found herself inside. She blinked. The world changed. The fabric that had been wrapped around her, she now curled under. Arching her back on top of the pillowtop mattress, she stretched her arms up. A warm hand found hers. She peered from the comforter into shining red eyes behind thick rimmed glasses.

"Kore." He whispered with a certain smile that stirred something inside her. His voice resonated everywhere. Coming from every direction. She sighed and dragged her hand slowly down and across his arms, tracing the veins, the pale scars, and the hardened muscles until her fingertips brushed the tops of his shoulders. He hummed at her touched, and pulled her closer to him. The rumble in his voice, she could feel on her skin. "Kore." He purred, holding her waist and lifting her up and over until she straddled him. Her legs splayed out on either side, her hands steadied herself on his chest.

Content, she grinned and lowered her face till she just barely grazed his jaw with her nose. "Sixty percent." She whispered into his neck.

"Sixty percent scoundrel?" Hades raised his eyebrows. "I think I can get that number higher." He leaned up, fingers raking through her hair then down her back, pressing her further onto him. Persephone closed her eyes as the world spun. Her existence wrapped up into the heat on her skin, his breath at her ear. Under the covers, everything seemed so isolated. The whole world, wrapped under those sheets, just the two of them. Hades everywhere. Then the world under the covers became disjointed segments of passions. One overlapping the other.

A gentle caress on her thigh. A heavy handed push on her back, bending her over. A hard cock dragging through her buttcheek. She leaned against the pressure. Hands on her chest. Hades between her legs. Hades hovering over her. Then behind her. Everywhere. Hades, everywhere. Persephone planted kisses on his chest, biting at his nipple. He growled in pleasure. The picture kept changing, but Persephone's desire only increased, never satisfied. She whimpered. Everything blurred together. At one point Persephone swore he had large fuzzy wings stretching out from his back. She couldn't focus. She couldn't get close enough. The more she gripped, pulled, and dragged him, the less she could feel.

"Hades?" She questioned, so quietly, she wasn't sure she said it out loud.

"I'm here." He assured her. His voice, rumbling through her, but she couldn't find him in the bed next to her.

"Don't go." She pleaded.

"I won't." He promised, somewhere in the dark. It wasn't a voice anymore. Rattling. Shaking.

"Hades." Confused, Persephone reached for him. "Hades." She whimpered more desperately.

"Hades!" She sat up suddenly. Sunlight streaming through the window. Her quilt and bed-sheets twisted down near her ankles. She took a deep breath. And then another. Before settling back down into her pillow. A dream. She wiped her hand on her forehead. At least she wasn't in the greenhouse anymore. She curled up into a ball. At least, she knew what this dream was about. She opened her eyes again, painfully aware of the empty space beside her and sighed.

Maybe she did prefer the nightmares.

Her alarm rang then and she rolled over to turn it off.

"A dream." She sighed to herself as she got up and started getting ready for work. "At least he'll be gone for a few days. Maybe I can shake this crush out of my system."

* * *

Hecate appeared in Hade's office. He hadn't arrived yet but knew the coffee would already be ready for him. It was always better than the stuff in the breakroom. She pulled out her tumbler and set in on the counter to pick up the carafe. She raised it too high, expecting it to be heavier.

"Huh?" She tilted her head. The coffee machine was cold, off, and annoyingly lacking fresh coffee. Rolling her eyes, she waved her hand in front of the carafe and inexplicably it filled with black liquid. She dipped her finger into it. "Can never get the temperature right." She shrugged. "Iced coffee it is."

Hades opened the glass door, tugging a small duffle bag on his shoulder. "Stealing my coffee again?" He raised his eyebrows. The dark circles under his eyes seemed to be darker than usual.

"Not this time. Had to brew this energy potion up myself." She took a swig and coughed. "It, well, it packs a punch." She poured a mug for Hades and pushed it towards him.

He eyed it, unconvinced, and then swiveled out to his private lobby. "Huh." He clicked his teeth. Setting down the duffle bag, he then checked his watch. "Minthe?" He walked back out to fully interpret the empty desk. He read the last text from Minthe again from last night.

"All packed. See you tomorrow."

He heard a loud sneeze and looked up in time to see Minthe rounding the corner from the side hallway leading to the bathrooms. A large tissue stuffed to her face. Her mouth hung open and her eyes seemed dimmer and more dead than usual. "Oh hey." She said in a scratchy voice. "I'm sorry, I haven't quite finished out the-."

Hades crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You're sick."

"It's just allergies." Minthe's ears pointed down.

"You're sick."

"No. No. I'm fine." Minthe waved his accusations away. "I can't be sick. We're inspecting the-" She sneezed. "I've been planning for weeks for this-" She coughed. "I have all the plans for our business trip." She coughed again. "I'm fine. It's just. . . dog hair." She shrugged and Hade's eyes glinted.

"You're blaming this on. . . my dogs?"

"No. No. No." Minthe shook her head and she had to lean against the wall, overcome with a dizzy spell. "I can't. . .think straight."

"Because you're sick." Keeping a distance, Hades pulled her chair around for her to sit. Not wanting to catch her illness, but also not wanting to be an ass, he wasn't sure how to treat her in this moment, especially after all the nastiness that occured during their break up. "You need rest. Go home." He tried to hide a slight bit of relief. After their break up, Minthe promised to be professional, to keep her job, and she had done an excellent job, but this trip, he'd been dreading anway.

"But we're supposed to go to the mortal realm today." She said through sniffles. "It's really really important."

"You're not going like this." Hades sighed.

"I'm fine. I'll get better. It's just a, a, cold." She shrugged, unconvincingly. "I've already booked everything. The itinerary is set. The procedure-"

Hecate came over and felt her forehead. "Yikes. You're not going anywhere but back to bed. Hades' right. If you went like this, you could bring about a whole new set of epidemics to the mortals. Mortals shouldn't be exposed to our illnesses. It would be downright irresponsible."

Hades frowned. "It's alright. You rest, I'll go." He decided.

"You should postpone." Minthe slumped back into the chair. "You can't go by yourself. You know that."

The elevator door dinged and then opened. Hades looked up. Persephone walked in. And an idea formed.

"No." Minthe hissed weakly.

"Persephone." Hades bounced forward. "What are your plants for the next two days?"

Minthe and Hecate both groaned internally.

"I have a very exciting opportunity that just opened up."

Persephone creeped quietly back into her house. Artemis's bedroom door was closed. The black out curtains covered all the windows. She could hear her roommate snoring on the other side of the wall.

She opened up the bathroom door and grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste. And an extra unused one she kept handy, just in case. She swung her old robe from the hanger and shoved it into her tote. Last time she wore it, she was getting ready for the party. The party where everything went wrong.

She looked at herself in the mirror and pointed a finger at herself. "Professional. Business. Work-related. Excursion." She gave herself the side eye. "You're going to check on some volcanoes. Inspect any damage. Take notes. Help pinpoint weak spots and danger zones and you are not going to think about any funny business." Her reflection nodded weakly. "Got it? No funny business. Only . . . business-business." She finished lamely and curled her pointing finger through her hair. She fixed the collar of her jacket and headed for the door. She turned back to her mirror and pointed her finger once more. "Watch it." She warned herself.

With a dark rumbling roar, Hades started the engine again as she exited the house. Momentarily mesmerized with her quick steps down from the porch. Focus Hades. He checked himself in the rearview mirror. Business trip. You're her boss. This is just a professional . . . His hands patted the steering wheel anxiously as she threw her tote into the back seat and then climbed into the passenger side. . . . professional excursion. . .

She buckled up, then folded her hands into her lap, a little embarrassed that in the back seat there were free floating underwear in an open tote. She didn't have enough time to properly pack anything. "So." She looked up at Hades. "Road trip." She grinned. "Got any good playlists?"

"Mortal hits? To get us in the mood? The. . .the mortal realm, mood. I mean."

"Yeah DJ Hades, bump it." Persephone nodded. "Er, I mean, yeah that sounds great, boss."

Hades laughed and turned the volume up. Smoothly, he backed out of their driveway and then towards their destination. Persephone rolled down her window and belted out to a power ballad. The wind whipped her hair dramatically and Hades had to concentrate so as not to run off the road. He lowered the music to her chagrin. "So, I know you probably used the main channel to travel to Olympus." He said over the music. "I like to go another way. Do you mind?" His eyes turned wicked in the rear view mirror, but Persephone didn't catch it.

"Sure!" She agreed cheerily. Then her eyes squinted. "Wait. Should I?"

"Hold on." Hades warned, and threw the car into gear. The wheels screamed. Smoke rose from the tires. They weren't moving. Then Hades let off the brake and they jolted forward.

"Uh Hades." Persephone gripped his arm and the handle above her door. Her eyes widened. A mountain in the distance was getting bigger. And bigger. "Uuuuh. Hades." She pointed nervously towards the rapidly moving in mountain. The trees whizzed past. The ground began to shake. The mountain turned into an ever reaching wall that Persephone could not see around. "I should have drove." She whimpered, gripping onto the handle even tighter.

"This is a secret entrance, okay?" Hades had to yell over the roar of the car. "Only my brothers and I know about it. So don't tell anyone."

"I won't be able to." Persephone braced herself. "I'll be dead."

"Ha!" Hades laughed. Persephone looked over for a second, seeing something she had never seen in Hades before. Reckless boyish abandoned.

"100%" Persephone scrunched her face up as the walls closed in. Darkness closing in. One more second and . . .

Complete black.

Persephone looked through her fingers. "Woah." She blinked and leaned forward. "Is that?" She peered up seeing long towers protruding from the tall ceiling. Blinking neon lights as stalactites. So familiar, yet, this looked so wrong. Rivers. . . on the ceiling. Water flowing, but gravity pulling it upwards. No. No. Persephone realized. They were simply upside down.

"Oh." Persephone put her hands to her mouth. "We're. . ." She paused staring up at the Underworld. "How?"

Hades grinned down at her. "Sorry for the scare. You can only experience it for the first time once. I didn't want to spoil it." He shrugged. "You can punish me later." He said then blinked, not sure if that came out right.

Hades changed gears again and slowed down, he turned the car, heading towards straight for black darkness, away from the city lights up above. She couldn't even see her own lap. Everything had gone dark.. Without the light, without second guessing and self consciousness, something in the air felt different. Persephone's hand found his on the stick, then traveled up his arm to his shoulder. His breath was shallow. A shiver ran down her spine and an electric vibe seemed to pass through her, not sure if it originated inside her self or transferred energy from Hades. Desperation grew in the black. She couldn't get close enough. Her seat belt kept her from cuddling into his side. Her hand was all she had to make sure Hades was there. An ambassador for things she couldn't have.

"Hades?" She whispered, worried she wouldn't be able to find even her voice.

A glowing red eye opened in her direction. A gloved hand at her cheek. "We're almost there." He said in a low voice, then cleared his throat.

She had forgotten there was a destination. Shaking her head, she took a steadying breath. Now both of Hades red eyes viewed her from the darkness.

She suddenly remembered her dream a few weeks ago. "May I come in?" She withdrew her hand and folded it in her lap, clearing her throat too. Right. Business trip.

Hades felt the warmth of her hand withdraw. In its place seemed to burn with a coldness of its absence. He pursed his lips trying to shake that electric pull to touch her, to run his fingers through her hair, down her back, around her waist, up her chest, holding her. He tried to shake the thought of thumbing the hem of her dress, sliding his long fingers up her thigh. He tried to shake the wandering thought of burying his face into her breasts, smothering himself, warm up his cold nose in the depths of her cleavage. That electric pull made his hands twitch towards her. He clamped it tighter on the stick, and shifted gears. "Almost there." He muttered again under his breath, more to himself this time.

She could feel the car speeding up, but the blackness outside remained the same.

"You might want to take a deep breath." Hades suggested, while he leaned back and grabbed Persephone's tote bag and placed it in her lap, then reached for his duffel and strapped it on himself, taking off his seat belt. "You won't need your seat belt anymore." He shifted gears again. "This is the weird part." Persephone leaned forward, touching the dashboard and drew in a great big breath. Hades whispered a quiet work. A spark of magic illuminated in the darkness.

The next second, sunlight blinded them. The wind whipped through her hair. Her hand gripped the edge of a chariot. Grunting and clip clops of four black horses replaced the roar of the engine. They were tearing down dirt path at high speed, the four black horses of Hades charging forward relentlessly, pulling the dark stained chariot forward. Regally, Hades stood with his hands on the reign. A long black robe flapped in the wind, draped carefully across his torso so that one side of his chest was exposed. A dark commanding King. She shivered and noticed she too was draped in her mortal realm robe.

She threw her head back and took a big ole sniff. Dirt, grass, smoke, something sweet. She sighed. The smells of home. Hades looked down at her over his nose and smiled sadly. He should have taken her here a while ago. Her shoulders relaxed and she widened her stance on the chariot to hold herself upright. There was something about this entrance to the mortal realm with her by his side, that he just couldn't get enough of.

"Home sweet home." She sighed and leaned her head on Hades bicep. She wrapped her arm around his, while he still held the reigns. He gulped, staring down at the crown of her head. Inhaling, he closed his eyes. When he opened them back up, his lips were on top of her head, planting a nearly involuntary kiss. He straightened back up immediately.

Persephone raised her eyebrow and looked up at him. "Did you just. . ."

"You. . . had something in your hair." He covered.

"Oh." Persephone bit her lip. "For a second I thought you. . ." She shook her head, washing the thought away. She pulled out the itinerary in the trunk. It now was a tablet. An actual stone tablet.

"So, we're scheduled to tour the Methana site today, stop for lunch in Crete, then hit Milos, since those should be quick stops according to last years reports. We're stopping for the night for the reservation placed at Thera. So we'll be ready to go on Santorini island the next morning and finish off with Nisyros." She dipped the tablet below eye level, eyeing the horses pulling the chariot. "Can I ask something?"

Hades raised an eyebrow. "Your questions are always dangerous. You can ask, but you may not get a response."

"It's work related."

"Go ahead."

"So. . . the volcanos?"

"Yes?"

"Um. Why do you inspect them? Why are they part of . . . Hades' duties?"

Hades sighed. "That's actually a very personal question." His grip tightened on the reigns. "But, you're here to help me inspect them so I should tell you. Volcanos erupt after years and years of built up frustration, anger, unmet desires, rage, fear, etcetera etcetera." He shrugged. "I'm. . . working on it. Since seeing a therapist it's helped. . but, to be honest, I haven't gone in some time. At least, unlike my brothers, I try to control it, but then it sits in these pockets until the underworld can't contain it anymore. It can be much more disastrous than when my brothers lose control." He shrugged. "But they lose it all the time. Storms, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, tsunamis." He shook his head. "It's like they're not even trying. They don't care about the consequences, usually."

"So. . . this is kind of a mental check in."

"No." Hades said. "Well." He hesitated. "Maybe." He looked down at her, nearly hearing her think through it. "Thank you for coming. It's. . . it's easier if I have someone with me."

"Of course!" Persephone smiled up at him, releasing her lip from her bite. "I'm glad I can help."

After a few more minutes, they pulled up to the base of the volcano on Methana island. "We'll have to go on foot from here."

Childlike laughter echoed through the greenery. Chattering voices of women layered on top. Persephone nearly skipped towards them, but Hades grabbed her hand softly. A sad look in his eye. "We'll have to go unseen." Hades eyed Persephone's longing gaze towards the warm voices of mortals. She nodded, understanding.

"Of course. I didn't expect to travel with the unseen one with bells and whistles." She jabbed. Secretly, she felt proud. She never felt important enough to hide her appearance before. Now she was in the big leagues.

Getting to work, Persephone took samples of the ground at the base, at the midway point, and at the top. "Dormant." Hades nodded, relieved. He walked into the crater-esque top of the volcano, Persephone following behind him. They took some more measurements. "I'll also need to get a rough population estimate."

"On it." Persephone pulled a blank scroll and ink pen out. She tapped her foot on the ground and then sat on her legs in meditation. She jotted down some numbers. "Should be fairly accurate." She licked the pen on her tongue.

"How did you?"

"Well, I can feel the young ones, so." She shrugged. "Taking into account the birth rate ratios and average family size, I did a quick calculation to extrapolate the rest of the data. Easy peasy."

"Oh." Hades blinked. "That's. . . very impressive."

Persephone laughed. "If you're a potato."

Proudly, Hades grinned.

The rest of the day past much the same, with a small break in the middle to eat a lunch of eggs and humus. The other two islands checked out well enough. Persephone seemed fascinated by the magic in the soil, active or not. The writings in Persephone's scroll grew so much in depth, she'd have to use a new one soon.

The ferry took them to their last island. Tired from a full day of hiking, the four dark horses of Hades clopped slowly into the stables of the inn on their last island that they would tour tomorrow. Persephone helped Hades take off their harnesses. She hugged their huge necks and whispered compliments into their ears. They twitched back with delight and nuzzled into her embrace. Quietly, Hades grabbed the trunk and headed inside to procure their rooms while Persephone continued to tend to the horses. "I know you're just a car engine back in the underworld, but you're real now." She brushed their mane, then peered inside the window of the lobby.

A mortal, with dark thick hair, waited in line, wearing the robes she'd seen Hades wear all day. He turned and winked at her. Brown eyes, flashing red for a second.

She laughed and in turn, changed her appearance, dropping the invisibility. Blonde hair, green eyes, and freckled pale skin, she marched into the inn and stood next to the mortal holding their trunk. "Oh, hello good sir." She spoke in ancient greek.

"Madame." He nodded, a sly grin rising on his cheek. "Fancy meeting you here."

"It is such a wonderful coincidence." She played along eagerly.

"Next." The shopkeeper called. Hades and Persephone stepped forward. "Welcome to Thera Inn. Home of the largest volcano on the greek isles." He muttered robotically.

"We have a reservation." Hades stepped forward. His human body, just as tall as his usual self, staggered over the counter. The shopkeeper blinked up at him.

"N-name?"

"Shade."

"Ah! Of course. I remember you from last year." The shopkeeper turned to Persephone, then back to Hades. He said nothing more before grabbing the keys behind him. "Right this way. The Bath houses are around back." He pointed towards the back door.

Persephone stood motionless, then she clicked her heels. Hades turned to see her hesitate. He blinked. "Oh. Sir, we were wondering. Well. If we could add another room?"

The shop keep squinted and then, "Sorry. All booked up."

"Surely, you have another room available." Hades extended a tan hand out towards him, light blue scars, still shone out of his mortal skin, no amount of magic could cover them. In his palm rested a single ruby.

The shop keep laughed. "I wouldn't give you my boots for that counterfeit shit. Now go on. You already have the nicest room. Even if I did have another one available, you wouldn't want it."

Persephone grabbed on to Hades arms, feeling a bit of wrath start to boil up inside from being treated like a petty commoner. "Come on, Shade. We'll make it work."

Persephone jiggled the key into the door at the top floor. Hades behind her, carried the trunk up.

"Oh." Persephone squeaked, eying the king sized bed in the middle of the room. She hurried inside and held the door for Hades. He set the trunk at the foot of the bed and he too, hesitantly looked at it and then up at Persephone. "Take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

"Don't be silly." Persephone closed the door and locked it. "You're. . . you're the king. I'll fit much better on this couch anyway." She laid down, curling up on the couch next to the window, to prove her point.

Hades stalked towards her. "No, no. You sleep on the bed. I insist. As your boss, the king of the underworld, and . . . as your friend." He knelt beside her.

"But-"

"No buts." Hades shook his head. "Don't make me, make you." He raised his eyebrow. "I'm not sure how much higher my scoundrel number can get, but I'd like to keep it low, please."

Persephone groaned and rolled off the couch. "Okay, fine. But if you change your mind, let me know. I really don't mind." She stood up and combed through her blonde human hair and wiped away a thin layer of dirt on her face, kicked up from the chariot ride. "I'm going to down to the baths. Do you think I could just go. . . without all this." She gestured at her mortal appearance.

Hades gulped. "S-su-sure." Hades tried to shrug nonchalantly. He'd never been attracted to any mortal, but the one in front of him, he wouldn't mind keeping around. " As long as, no one tries to sit on you accidently. You know I'm honestly not sure what would happen if a mortal-" Hades bit his lip, imagining what it would be like to find himself sitting on a naked invisible Persephone. He shook his head, inhaling sharply. "No matter." He watched Persephone unravel the mortal guise from herself, pale skin into glowing pink, and he too started to feel scratchy in this muddy skin.

"Actually. I'll go with you. A hot bath sounds good."

They tip toed back down to the lobby, hugging the wall as more people came up the stairs. "They can't hear us." Hades grinned as Persephone tried to hold her breath. He stuck out his tongue and Persephone broke out in laughter. As more came up the stairs, they made funny faces at each other until the coast was clear and they could continue their path to the baths. Slyly, Hades grabbed two towels from the rack and tossed one to Persephone. He saluted her, then marched towards the men's bath and she in turn, stepped into the women's.

Persephone took a deep breath of the steaming air. She dropped her robe to the floor and slipped into the water. In the foggy steam, she could only see shapes of others in the bath. It was mostly empty. She dipped further into the water and imagined a large shadow on the other side of the pool. Imagined Hades sitting opposite her. Naked. Wet. Steamy. And always out of reach.

They emerged from the Baths at nearly the same time. Persephone soaked a moment longer in the sulphur pools. She had always liked the smell. She watched Hades leave first, a towel wrapped around his waist as he made his own way back towards their room. She bit her lip, keeping her thoughts in check, giving him enough time to. . . dress. Though she allowed her enough of a glance to watch his long legs drip up the stairs. "Butt." She whispered alone to herself.

Then she followed after. As Persephone entered back into the room, Hades was setting up his makeshift bed on the couch. All warm and rosy, wrapped up in a fresh towel, she greeted Hades. Hades nearly fell over.

She picked up a bundle of clothes from her tote and then looked up at Hades. She swirled her finger in the air, commanding him to turn around. He obliged. Staring wide opened out the window with his hands clasped together nervously in front of him, pretending that there wasn't a reflection. He gulped as he heard her towel drop to the floor. She tapped his shoulder and he turned back to see Persephone wearing a simple long gown. "You look-"

"Ready for bed?" She finished.

"Um. Yeah." Hades slumped into the couch, grasping his wet hair. This was going to be a long night.

Persephone jumped into the bed and folded herself under the covers. She spread her arms and legs out and made crease angels into the bedsheets. So much room. She shivered, waiting for the sheets to trap her warmth back to her. Her wet hair, tangled down the side of the pillow.

"Goodnight." Hades said from the couch.

"Goodnight." Persephone sighed and rolled over. She closed her eyes and tried not to think about the King of the Dead laying across the couch nearby. Tried not to think about where his scars led on his torso. Tried not to think about his body sitting in the bathhouse, steam rising. Tried, but she wasn't getting very far.

Hades knew better than to stretch his limbs out. Instead he looped his legs over the arm of the couch and laid on his back staring up at the ceiling. He heard a soft sigh come from the bed, and tried not to think of her warm skin beneath the sheets. Just one night. And then they'd go home tomorrow and he wouldn't have to torment himself like this again. What was he thinking? Of course, Minthe reserved the honeymoon suite for them. Of course, there'd only be one bed. Why on earth, didn't someone stop him?

He rolled over uncomfortably on his side and tried to curl his legs in. Sometimes being King had its disadvantages. No one wants to tell you no, when they're too busy trying to kiss your ass.

However, he wouldn't take it back. He'd enjoyed every single second of their time so far. It felt more like a vacation than work. She was so interested in everything and genuinely helpful, always peppering in the long silences with fascinating tales and questions. He didn't like talking much, but he loved talking with Persephone.

He rolled over again to his other side, still not quite finding his spot. As long as Persephone was comfortable, he could manage. He could sit upright in a pile of hay, if it meant Persephone could sleep soundly.

He tried his stomach, twisting into a fetal position, but the smell of the dyed fabric began to give him a migraine. He twisted back on his back and stared up at the roofing. He would count the planks until he would have to count them again. He tried anything and everything to get his mind off the thing poking him in the leg from the arm of the chair. Or how far away his feet were from the edge of the blanket.

It was after his fourth set of counting the ceiling planks, when Persephone sat up and folded her blanket around her arms in her lap. "Hades?" She whispered quietly. "Are. . . are you awake?"

He sighed. "Yes."

She shifted towards one end of the bed and pulled the covers down. "You'll sleep better." She patted it, an invitation. "This bed is big enough. I don't take up much space." She rolled over to the other side.

"Why do I get the feeling you actually do?" Hades sat up, waiting for a response. When none came, "Are you making a face?"

"No." Persephone answered, obviously still making the face. "Just. . . I'll sleep better without you tossing and turning."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Just. . .come here." She slapped her hand on the pillow. "Before I get angry."

"Alright. Alright." Hades walked carefully to the opposite side of the bed. "I'll stay on my side. I promise, I won't-"

Persephone yawned. "Yeah, yeah. You won't try nothing. I get it." She peeked over her shoulder to see Hades dip under the covers, his body still barely coming off the edge of the bed. She too toed the end of her side. They both stared up at their piece of the ceiling, clutching the bed sheet up to their necks.

"Goodnight, Persephone." Hades murmured.

"Goodnight, Hades."

They each rolled onto their side, facing away from each other. Persephone bit her lip. That same electric current she felt in the car began pulling on her again. The darkness, so inviting. The sheets so comforting. Hades so close. She shut her eyes, squinting them down, hoping to squash out the restless energy worming down her legs, up to her abdomen.

Hades felt her breathing, interrupting the smooth linen beneath them, and he stopped a moan escaping from his lips. This was much worse than the couch. Another mistake.

Eventually after several awkward minutes, they buried in silence, Persephone drifted closer to sleep. She was transported back down that dark hallway. The cold hard wood floors. The fabric, she knew, a comforter wrapped around her body. The door at the end of the hallway opened. A red neon light blinked, warning her not to go inside. But she couldn't stop even if she wanted to. She dropped the comforter around her to the floor, exposing herself, but she didn't feel ashamed. Instead of cold, she felt warm. Hot even. Suddenly she was laying on top of the comforter. Her limbs splayed out, wide. She imagined herself like the web of a spider, ready to catch the first thing to vibrate into her web.

The moth she wanted to catch wasn't there. "Hades?" She murmured.

The rumbling of a car engine seemed to fill her chest, or was it the sound of the horses breathing.

Panic started. Where was he? He promised. He promised to stay. The warmth that enveloped her, vanished. With it, the rumbling inside of her. Everything was quiet. Cold chills latched onto her ankles and wrist. She felt. . . alone.

Persephone's eyes shot open. Alone in the dark. Wait. No. Not alone. She rolled over towards the king sized space between them. Hades slow chest expanded with his steady breath. Persephone sighed in relief. Slowly, she inched her way across the space between them, closing the gap.

No amount of will power could stop her now. Gradually, but with a sense of finality, she crawled to the other side of the bed, like a glacier, slow but sure. She couldn't be stopped. Not even when Hades rolled over, his eyes catching hers. She couldn't stop, not even when he asked if she was okay in a voice so soft, it might have been the wind. She couldn't stop, when his hand cradled her face. She couldn't stop, not until her lips found his. As gentle as a butterfly landing on a leaf. Her full pink lips wrapped around his, conforming to his shape. He gasped into her. "Kore."

She hummed. He sat up and pulled her face away, keeping her head in the palms of his hands. "Kore." He murmured, his forehead leaning against hers. So many things he wanted to say. So many questions he wanted to ask. In the moment, all he could say was her name. "Kore." Over and over again.

Persephone pulled her gown up and over herself. No more barriers between them. No worries. Just them. Alone together on a king sized space.

She lightly tugged on his lip with her teeth. Her hands wrangled into his hair, pulling on him. Taking her que he began twisting over her. His hands planted on either side of her head as she settled into the middle of the bed and he swung over. Blinking, he looked into Persephone's eyes. "Am I dreaming?" He finally asked.

"I don't think so. Would this be a good dream?" Persephone breathed, her hands dragged down from his hair to his chest. Tracing over the curves of his muscles.

"If it is a dream, I hope I never wake up." He kissed her forehead.

"Just don't disappear in the morning."

"Never." He kissed her deeply, then his lips scaled down her chin to her neck. He squeezed his arms around her, pulling her up into him. She moaned. He continued traveling down, taking as much of her right breast into his mouth as he could, letting it fall away slowly till just her nipple was trapped between his lips. With the other breast he grabbed it, rubbing his palm across her.

Persephone wasn't sure what to do with her hands, so she just touched every part of him she could. His shoulders, his neck, the top of his back. His hair. Every inch of his hair, acting on every whim, then coming down the back to his shoulder blades.

He looked up through long lashes at her, watching her reaction as still he traveled down, planting kissed over her stomach. In anticipation, she spread her legs out on either side of him, inviting him. She gasped as his tongue found her. Warmth she'd never experience battled for attention. He buried his face into her, and dragged Persephone into sensations like another world. Deftly, he pulled her hips up, angling her better. Closer. Always needing to be closer. He came up for air, grinning at the slack jawed expression of Persephone sinking into the pillow. His fingers filled the void as he lapped up her left breast.

Persephone's constant inhales and pantings, moans and murmurs guided him to the moment she gasped and a jolt ricocheted through her. Their eyes met. Persephone panting, Hades breathing heavily, she pushed herself up on her arms. Hades leaned back onto his knees and she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, tasting herself still on his lips. Then her hands pushed on his chest and she moved her hips out of the way, till he was laying on his back. She crawled slowly on top of him. Her thighs straddled him. She could feel his erection twitching with anticipation on her skin. She lifted herself briefly, taking a moment to see Hades spread out before her. Thinking of her dream, she grinned. How similar this was. Only this was real. This time, when she reached for him, he reached back. She could feel him. Real. Now. Everywhere. Almost everywhere.

She grabbed him, guiding him to her entrance. Hades reached for her chin, reassuringly. Then she pushed back into him and watched his eyes roll back. Like an ocean she pushed and pulled him into her. She moaned, overwhelmed with his girth. He rubbed her thighs in rhythm. The headboard knocked against the wall, but neither of them cared or slowed down. She moved on him like she was balancing a hula hoop on her hips. Hades grunted, his grip tighter on her thighs. Fingerprints embedded there.

Then he lifted his knees, raising his hips, holding her in place with a firm grip on her ass. She leaned down to his chest and sucked his neck while he pushed into her, so slowly, filling her up. Heat traveled between them. She clawed her fingers into his hair now. Her moans veering on whispered screams. He wrapped his arms around her waist, knocking her into his thrusts.

"Kore." He breathed. Big eyes, looking up with nothing but rested her head on his chest, while she worked her lower half into overtime.

Eyelids heavy with pleasure. "Kore." He muttered, more urgently. Hot lava boiled inside of him, until he couldn't hold it anymore. "Ah." He gushed into her. Thrusting a few more times until he couldn't take it anymore. "Kore." He blinked. "Oh, Kore." He murmured completely breathless and relaxed back into the bed.

With a shaking hand, she placed her palm on his cheek. "You're wonderful."

He hugged her into his chest. Cradling her into him. Her body so soft and comforting. This had to be too good to be true. Then the heat of their bodies was too much to take and she slipped off the side. They gazed up at the ceiling. Breathless. Hot. Heaving. And blissfully happy. A rumbling roar seemed to echo inside their chest cavity. Ricochets of pleasure and orgasms, lingering inside of them. Then their bed began to shake. The floorboards too.

Birds cried in the night. Dogs started barking outside. An uneasy stillness permeated the air. Something was terribly wrong.

Hades and Persephone sat up suddenly, clutching the bedsheet to their chest. Hades moved first, jolting out of bed to peer out the window. His eyes finding the volcano of Thera in the distance.

"Shit." He slapped his face.

"What?" Persephone joined his side, wrapped in the bedsheet.

"Hades erupted from below." He leaned his forehead on the shaking window.

Persephone smirked, "You're telling me."

* * *

 **AN: This was one of my FAVORITES to write. Let me know if you enjoyed it! I really appreciate any and all feedback even if its just a "thumbs up."**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	15. If You Like It Part 1

**Disclaimer: Characters based on the wonderfully charming Webtoon comic Lore Olympus which is based off greek mythology.**

* * *

If You Like It

Part 1

* * *

Persephone arrived with enough time to visit Cerberus at the gates for a quick pat. She pulled a treat out from under her jacket. "I made this just for you." She waved it in front of the far left head that bent down low to the ground for her. He huffed and her jacket whipped up with his gigantic breath. "Don't worry. I made enough." She pulled out two more and the other heads nipped at the air expectantly. While he licked up the baked treats, she scratched his neck. "Now don't tell Hades about this, yeah? Our little secret." The middle head booped her forehead with a large wet nose. She giggled. "Good boy." Hugging his thick neck, she whispered into his fur. "I've missed you." Her words came out as dolcet hums. "It's good to be back." She was starting to get used to the dark days and the cool air. So much so, that this return-even though she was only gone a few days- felt like coming home. She sighed. "See you later, big guy. I'll bring more treats." A loud thump on the floor, as Cerberus's tail flopped happily.

She stepped towards the elevator. "Hi Mirella." She greeted the red imp. No one had ever cared to ask her name before. Though she left a terrible tip, Mirella did have a soft spot for Persephone. She made her feel seen. In a job where no one looked at her, and a being where she was easily overlooked, Persephone saw her, called her by name, made her feel like more than just "the imp who pushes the buttons." Which is why Mirella decided to help keep her secret. She'd seen them. Right before the doors open, or as they're leaving- right before the door closes; when he thinks no one is watching; Her hand in his pocket; His hand on her arm. A stray glance. A knowing grin. Trying to hide it, but after all this time, it probably wasn't much of a secret anymore. Still, Mirella wasn't going to say nothing. Scout's honor.

"Level 91 please." Persephone checked her hair in the mirror.

"Yes, Ma'am." Mirella flew up to the button.

As the doors began to close Thanatos ran up. "Hold the elevator!"

Persephone raised her eyebrows and stopped Mirella from the "open door" button.

"Oops." Persephone waved as Thanatos's angry face was eclipsed by the closing metal. "Sorry Princess, I'm late for a meeting." She shrugged.

As the elevator moved up, she laughed delightedly. Sobering up, she glanced at Mirella. "I'm normally very nice. But he's an asshat. And that was fun."

Politely, keeping her mouth shut, Mirella nodded.

When the doors opened, she set her bags down by her desk and checked her messages. She was starting her new assignment today and wanted to make sure she left everything with a clean slate, and tied off all the loose ends from her journey abroad. A notification popped up on her computer.

" _Meeting in 5 Minutes: Quarterly Evaluation"_

Persephone tilted her head. "Huh?" She pulled out her appointment book. "I don't have anything written down for-" A smile spread after she clicked the link on the calendar.

" _Where: Hade's office. Notes: I've missed you."_

Leaning back in her chair, she swiveled around deliriously. She heard the elevator door open and Thanatos stormed in, angry eyes pointed at her. "Hey. What's with the door?"

"Pay back."

"I knew you didn't have a meeting."

"Oh, but I do. With Hades." She got up importantly and flicked her coat up on her shoulders, fixing the diamond buttons. "Unlike you, when I say I'm running late for a meeting, I mean I'm cutting into my prep time. On time is late." She got up, heading towards the elevator when Hades brushed by.

"Oh there you are." Hades eyes brightened. His hands caught her arms as she nearly toppled over.

Persephone breathlessly greeted back, "Hi."

"Hi." He stared down into her eyes meaningfully.

"Hi." Persephone collected herself, fully seeing Hades.

"Hi." Hades hands tensed on her shoulders.

"Hiii." Thanatos waved from his desk. "I'm here too."

"Sit down." Hades ordered, never tearing his eyes away from Persephone.

"I thought our meeting was in your office." Persephone batted her eyelashes, forgetting all about Thanatos who huffed as he leaned back in his chair.

"It is." Hades nodded slowly. "It is. But I couldn't wai-" He paused. "Couldn't wait for the printer in my office." He cleared his throat. "You see, I needed to print off your reports." He leaned against one of the cubicles, trying to be cool. "But uh," The soft wall collapsed and he took a moment to straighten out again. "But, well, my printer ran out of ink. So I-"

"Came down here." Persephone finished.

"Yes." Hades fidgeted with his pockets.

"Oh my gods." Thanatos grumbled and pushed his chair back, dipping back into his work space. "The copy room is down the hall on the left." What he was really saying was " _Get a room."_

"I can show you." Persephone skipped around Hades. She looked back to make sure he was following her, but that was never out of the question.

"Morning, Aggie." Persephone waved to her fellow co-workers. "Morning, Konith." They all waved back cheerily then froze as they saw Hades just a few steps behind.

"M-m-morning." They blinked, too shocked that they didn't notice Persephone's trailing hand wrapped around Hades' index finger, pulling him forward.

"Ladies." Hades nodded.

Coming from her office Styx graced the floor. "Oh! Hades. Do you have a moment? I have some more complaints I'd like to report about-"

"He's busy." Persephone smiled, shielding him with her small frame.

Styx's face soured. "With what?"

"Copies." Hades found the door labeled "Printer and Paper Supplies" and swung it open. "I have a lot of copies to make." He began to push Persephone inside.

"Yes. So many many copies." Persephone nodded.

"It might take all morning."

"Lots of copies." Persephone added.

As he shut the door, Hades waved a hand out. "Carry on."

Styx rolled her eyes. "Who do I go to to complain about _that_?" She muttered under her breath. " _All morning_." Styx stomped back into her office.

With the door now closed, they were finally alone.

"Hi." Persephone blushed.

"Hi." Hades knelt down, grabbing her hand. He looked her over like he had a search warrant. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too." Persephone threw herself into his arms. He held the back of her head, cradling her whole body onto him.

"Have your hands always been this small?" Hades eyes shimmered as he picked her hand up into his. She laughed at his utterly bewildered expression. "So tiny." He muttered to himself. Then quickly his hands nestled by her checks. His thumbs roamed through her eyebrows and down her nose. "Has your nose always been this cute?"

Persephone scrunched her face up into a huge smile. Hades hands covered her whole face then, as if to imprint her expression onto him. He gasped suddenly, intoxicated by her eyes. "Have your eyes always been so-"

"Hades." Persephone plucked his left hand from her face. "It's only been three days. Have you forgotten entirely what I look like?"

"You're always more beautiful than I can remember." He whispered into the top of her head, planting a sweet kiss.

"You know. You're just as I remember you." Persephone grinned.

"Oh?"

"Mhm. Kind and gentle." She combed his hair back, the way he liked it. "Warm and sweet. Strong and safe." She sighed and leaned into his chest. "It's good to be home." She dug her arm under his and wrapped around his back.

Hades eyebrows shot up.

Persephone blinked, catching what she had just said. "I mean. Back. Back at work." She bit her lip.

Swinging down suddenly, Hades kissed her, releasing her tension. Their lips locked together as if magnets. So delicate and bold all at once. This, Hades did remember. Still each time, though familiar, it felt new again. A wave of good fortune he didn't understand overwhelmed him. "It's good to have you _home_." He whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

Persephone cleared her throat. "So, about my review." A glint shined in her eye as she stood up, pushing herself off of Hades. "You need copies of my reports, right?"

Hades raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Oh, that was just a rou-"

Persephone lifted the scanner lid and hopped up onto the printer. The bright white light flashing beneath her thighs.

"Yes, well." Hades straightened his tie. "I'll need to do a quick once over of those reports." He said eagerly, catching on.

Persephone grinned, snatching his tie in her hands. "I've got 'em here for you. On these spreadsheets." She spread her legs open. A wry smile crept up his face and Hades closed the gap between them.

* * *

Persephone woke up the next morning with a huge slobbery tongue and a warm wet nose on her forehead. "Oh, good morning, Cerberus." She blearily patted his head. "Oh, okay-okay. That's good. That's enough." She laughed, but then closed her mouth quickly as he was still very much licking her face.

A large blue hand picked up Cerberus's whole body. Hades lifted his dog into the air with one hand. "Hey. Where's _my_ good morning kiss?" Cerberus just whined.

Persephone rolled over and planted a huge wet kiss on his forehead, dog slobber dripping off. "There it is."

"Oh my gods." Hades groaned, wiping the slobber off his face. A muffled laughter as Persephone turned over. "Hey, get back here."

Persephone shimmied away. "No, my face has magic dog slobber on it. I have to go wash it."

"Mine does too. And it's your fault."

Persephone managed to wrangle away from his hands. She stood up and adjusted his shirt down her thighs. "I'm sorry for ruining your morning with my LOVE."

"With your what?"

Persephone blinked and then turned and ran towards the bathroom. Hades leaped out of the bed and chased after her.

"With your what?" He repeated.

"Oh my gods, it was a joke." Persephone covered her face in embarrassment.

"Sure. But was it?" Hades tilted his head to the side. Something like glee played around his lips.

"Oh my gods, I do not want to have this conversation right now with dog slobber on my face and morning breath." She turned back to the bathroom, grabbing his hand.

Together they brushed their teeth. Persephone and Hades kept catching each other's eyes in the mirror. Her heart started racing.

Why did it just slip out? _Love._ Oh my gods. She said love and it was . . . a dumb bit. The first time she mentioned love and. . . oh gods. Persephone stared at her reddening face as she washed it. Hades handed her a clean towel. After she patted dry, she held the towel to her face. She could feel him on the other side. Looking at her. Waiting. Waiting for her to say the thing she's been holding back from. Waiting for her to say the thing that she can't take back.

She did though and she absolutely knew it. She loved him. She couldn't help it. Love isn't just some feeling but an action. This wasn't just some passive want or lust. It went against everything to be with him and she didn't care. No. She did care, and she wanted to see it through. That's love. It hurt sometimes to love him. She'd already sacrificed things, friendships, other people's expectations. They didn't know it yet, but maybe they never would, but she couldn't stop, even if she wanted to. She knew it, despite never feeling this way before, she knew she never would feel this way about anyone. It was Hades. She knew it; it was always him. From that morning he introduced himself. It was him. Now she was waking up here, on purpose, in his bed. And she couldn't be happier.

"Persephone?" Hades asked, concerned as she was still buried under the towel.

But she thought her confession would be more than this: In the bathroom on a weekday morning.

With a sigh, she moved the towel away and like she expected, Hades had leaned down a few inches from her face.

"I love you." He admitted, his bewildered eyes shining, like he'd never seen a woman before.

"No!" Persephone huffed and Hades eyes fell. "You can't say that. _I_ was gonna say that." She poked his chest. " _I_ love _you._ "

"Oh." Hades breathed. "You do?"

"Of course I do." Persephone leaned into a natural hug. "I was kind of waiting to tell you in. . . a place that. . . wasn't your bathroom. I was thinking like, maybe a field of flowers, or a waterfall, or even just in the right moment on a car ride." She shut up quickly as Hades mouth found hers.

"I love you." He cherished. "I love you." He kissed her again. " I love you in my bathroom. In that field of flowers." He kissed her forehead. "Or a waterfall." He kissed her nose. "Or on a car ride. I love you. Everywhere. Anywhere. Here. I love you." He grabbed her hands in his and they just stared into each other's eyes for a moment the way lovingly gross couples do. Persephone blushed. "And now." Hades straightened out and grabbed her shoulders. He stared determinedly into her eyes, seeing something in them. "And now, I have to go."

Abruptly, he walked out of the bathroom and started getting his clothes on.

"Wait. What?" Persephone blinked, still catching up to what just happened in the last thirty seconds. "I thought we would ride together."

He skipped the tie and put on a casual blazer. "I have to head into Olympus today."

"But." Persephone pouted. "We just. . ."

Hades finished putting on his shoes and wrapped Persephone up into a strong kiss. "I love you, Kore."

"But you're leaving?" She whimpered.

"It's important." His face twisted into an odd expression. "You can take whatever car you want in today. I'm sorry. I'll explain later." Hades kissed her forehead one last time, lingering, then rushed out to the garage, phone in hand.

Persephone stood alone in his bedroom, still wearing his shirt from yesterday. "We didn't even have 'I love you' sex." She heard his car roar off. "You didn't even feed your dogs!" She griped. "80 percent!" She yelled into the empty house. Cerberus trotted to her. "Not you. You're a good boy." She timbered back against the bed and stared up at the crystal ceiling. "That's not how I thought any of this would go down." She sighed. After contemplation a smile crept up her face. "He said he loves me."

Cerberus licked her face again and Persephone just let it happen.

"UNCLE HADES!" Hebe greeted at the oversized golden leafed door. "I thought it was my brother locked out again. Wait. Are you in trouble? Is it a holiday? Why are you here?" She asked with the curiosity of a child, a thousand questions always on her tongue.

On the palace landing, Hades swung her in the air. "Hello, little one." Hades held her out in front of him so they could see eye to eye. Hades didn't like all his nieces and nephews, but he adored Hebe.

"Are you here to see mom or dad?" She wiped her nose on her long sleeve dress.

"No." Hades answered. "I'm here to see you. I thought we could have a tea party?"

"Really?" Hebe squirmed in his arms.

"Really really."

"Well, I'll have to check my calendar." Hebe mirrored her mother's favorite phrase. Then a smile broke out and she pulled her Uncle Hades into the palace.

* * *

"Would you like some more tea, your majesty." Hades offered an empty kettle.

"Why thank you, yes, it would give me so much joy. I would be most grateful, your majesty." Hebe dipped her head politely. "No, no. Not like that." She took the teapot from him. "Like this." She poured.

"Oh, sorry." Hades smirked. He scooted forward on the red flower cushion Hebe took from her bed to use as seating at her play table.

"So." Hebe set the teapot down. "What seems to be the problem?" She folded her hands under her chin like she'd seen her father do during deep discussions.

Hades looked at her stuffed animals. "Okay, let's say if," He reached for the sheep and the horse. "Mr. Sheep loved Ms. Horse."

"That's Philip and thats Charles." Hebe corrected.

"Right." Hades nodded. "Say Philip and Charles were in love."

"But Philip is in love with Noran." Hebe countered.

"But this is just pretend, Hebe. Let's pretend Philip and Charles are in love, yes?"

"Okay." Hebe huffed. "This is silly. But I'll pretend."

"And let's say Charles is well, let's say he lives under the bed, right? But Philip lives and needs to work on the pillows. Do you see the problem?"

"No."

"Well, Charles is lonely under the bed and wants to live with Philip."

"Well then he should just. . . do that." Hebe answered simply.

"But he can't." Hades explained. "He has to stay under the bed."

"Why?"

"Because he owns it."

Hebe tapped her chin. "You can't own the space under the bed."

"Let's say Charles does."

"Uncle Hades, you're being very confusing." Hebe took a sip of tea. "We're not talking about Charles and Philip are we?"

"Hebe, what if I want to m-m-marry her? I mean. What if Charles wants to marry Phillip. What should he do?" Hades rubbed his temples, an emotion welling up he hasn't been able to swallow down.

Hebe took another sip and thought about it. "Hades. I'm pretty smart but I'm only nine years old."

"I know you have an opinion." Hades leaned forward and booped Hebe's nose. "It runs in the family. But of everyone. . . you're the most unselfish with yours. What should Charles do?"

She swallowed another gulp. "I think. I think Charles needs to discuss it with Philip. Maybe Philip can live under the bed and just commute up to the pillows every day. Or something I don't know. If they really love each other," Hebe said while she poured some more tea into Hades cup. "They'll make it work."

"But what if every other stuffed animal is against it?" Hades nearly broke the tea cup in his large shaking hand.

"Well, I don't think that's true. And besides." She touched Hades hands. "The ones who do mind. . ." She said very seriously. "Fuck 'em."

The door swung open and Hera appeared with a cigarette in her hand. "Did I just hear my youngest daughter cussing?" She blew a thick column of smoke into the room then tilted her head towards Hades. "You." Her eyes narrowed. "What the fuck is going on here?"

* * *

The view from the veranda gave Hades and Hera the perfect vantage point for the sprawling hills to the east, the high rises of the city center, and to the west, the shores of the infinity lake. Hera passed Hades her cigarette, but he was too busy admiring the small budding flowers in the garden below to notice Hera's offering. Blue-violet Morning Glory's bloomed open in the golden soft light of the new sun. Normally when he visits, these flowers were closed off, sheltering themselves from the oppressive night. A twinge of guilt settled in his belly.

"So." Hera started, leaning against one of the columns, observing him like one of her birds. "I assume you didn't come all this way just to drink tea with the royal cup bearer."

Hades held his hand out, just barely touching the morning glory's petal. At his slightest pressure, the flower began its journey of folding in on itself, coiling back. He sighed. "You always like to make assumptions, don't you."

"Well, it's not like I have anything better to do." Hera muttered bitterly. She flicked her cigarette to the side and it vanished with a fading sparkle.

"Why d-" A question started to escape from Hades mouth before he choked it back down. He hung his head and leaned his fist against the edge of the veranda. A question he'd smothered down for the past 500 years-or was it longer?- a question he didn't know to ask until _she_ did. "W-Why . . ." He stopped himself again, his mouth wobbled with a sickening familiar twitch. Best not to say anything at all.

"Huh?" Hera stepped closer, seeing the frown lines appear on his forehead. He shook his head silently. "For fucks sake, what's-" Hera took a deep breath. She knew she had a sharp edge to her; a defense mechanism and a product of overlooked boredom. When everyone wanted to be your friend, it's easy to forgot what it took to keep one. "What's really going on, blue boy?" Her voice softened to a low ember. His silence stretched on immeasurably. "Persephone?" Hera guessed. "Oh." Hera nodded. Of course this was about Persephone. Before they started dating, she had wrapped herself up into their relationship. She was the one that pushed them together out of guilt and spite. She was the one he called after their first kiss and their first fight. "Listen, it's not the end of the world. I know you really liked her, but some things just aren't meant to be."

He laughed harshly. "Wait." He turned. "What do you think happened?"

"She. . . well, she must have broken up with you."

Hades hung his head again, his hair flopping forward.

"That bad, huh?" Hera stepped closer to comfort him.

"Oh, it's much worse than that, bunny." He strung a hand through his hair, trying to tame it back, but only succeeded in making it all the more unruly.

"I'm sorry, Hades. I feel like this is all my fa-"

"We're in love." He groaned. His words hung in the air and they breathed them in for a full breath.

"What?" Hera tilted her head. "Oh! But. That's. . . good isn't it?"

"No." Hades shook his head. "No. It's not good, Hera. Think about it. What you just thought -that we had broken up- THAT made sense right?" Hades started pacing. "Because why the Tartarus would we ever realistically be together. We're complete opposites. How could we work? It doesn't. . . it doesn't make any sense. She's. . . she's so traditional. And small. And kind. And soft. And I'm none of those things. None of them!" He said, his pacing quickening. "She's -I mean, for Gaia's sake, we can't even be seen together in public because of everyone's expectations. And then, you know. There's Demeter." Hades breathed and rubbed his temples. "Oh, and yeah, I forgot. How could I forget the most important part: She's barely an adult." He stopped pacing and folded over. "She's so new, and cheery. She's cheery! Have you seen the way her eyes light up when she's talking about something she's interested in? Or even, when she's talking to someone about their interests, not just her own. Who does that? Who cares like that?! She's so nice to a fault and," He breathed. "How could I do this to her? How could I sequester her away from the light." He stared back at the morning glories. " I've seen too much. I'm old and mean and she doesn't need to tie herself to someone like me. We don't run in the same circles. We don't make sense." He started pacing again. "We were brushing our teeth together this morning and I just couldn't stop staring at our reflections, standing side by side. Oh, Hera, it's utterly ridiculous that it's gone this far. Completely, irresponsible." He shrugged into a patio chair, his whole body deflating into the white ironwork.

"Hades, what are you saying?" Hera asked, the gravel in her voice smoothed out to a clear tone. She'd never heard him say so many words all at once. Hades was alway the man of little words, but big actions. He didn't talk much, but everything he said was important. Now, with so many worries bubbling out like a waterfall, Hera couldn't see past the deluge at the heart of the matter.

"Oh, come on, Hera." Hades slid his eyes over to her. "Surely, you of all people know exactly what I'm saying."

Or perhaps she _could_ see the heart of the matter. The matter of Hades heart. And she didn't know what to do about it.

She sat across from him on the patio table, letting his words resonate in her head for a bit. She wasn't used to this. Hera wasn't used to seeing her plans. . . actually work. When she had sent the girl into Hade's arms she didn't intend for it to stick. She had given him the opportunity to prove himself, but she never actually considered that he would prevail. Her long-term vision was short sighted at best. And yet, here she was staring at her oldest best friend in the world, and seeing the grief of his victory.

His victory was the honor of ripping his own heart out and entrusting it to someone else, and in return he held the fragile beating heart of the other. A terrible responsibility. But the greatest one there is.

Hera gasped and looked away. Something hot stung her eye.

Hera wasn't a love god. She didn't consort with Aphrodite and Eros and the other minor gods and goddesses of love. They laughed and played and made merry. They could be frivolous and carefree. But not Hera. She was the goddess of commitment, loyalty, seeing it through, through thick and through thin, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death.

The yellow morning light had intensified to bright and unrelenting. Uncomfortable with the midday heat, the morning glories had all closed up to rest until tomorrow. The soft sounds of a new day faded away into an eerie quiet.

"Hera." Hades leaned forward. Not to be hidden any longer, the question he couldn't ask before wormed its way back to the surface. "Hera, why did you neglect me?"

* * *

"And he needs his medication administered at 2pm. Don't forget. He's a real nightmare if he doesn't get it." Persephone scrambled to keep Russel from tearing at her jacket. "Worse than he already is. Though, I'm sure you guys are well aware. We're very grateful for your service. I couldn't imagine the state of the couches if you weren't available."

"Yes, ma'am." The employee of the local doggy daycare took Cordon Blu's leash and helped Persephone wrangle Russell out of her arms. This was the first time she'd done this task alone, but she'd seen it on Hades schedule every morning and accompanied him last week, before her assignment. The employee eyed Persephone strangely and gulped. "Um, ma'am?"

"Yes...Rogin, isn't it?" She eyed his name tag.

He blushed. "Yes, ma'am." He looked around the room, hesitating. "Are you going to be bringing Cordon Bleu and Russell in from now on?" At his feet, Cordon Bleu started biting at his boots, but he didn't even notice.

"Oh." Persephone blinked. "I'm-not really-" The hopeful expression on his face made her grin. "Would you prefer that I do?"

He nodded silently.

"Hmm. I'll see what I can arrange." Then she leaned in closer and spoke in an audible whisper. "Don't let Hades scare you. He wears pink underwear." She winked at Rogin's frazzled disposition. "You didn't hear that from me now, you understand?"

"Y-yes, ma'am." Rogin grinned and waved as Persephone exited the facility.

Cerberus' tail wagged as she came out. He waited patiently in the passenger seat of the matte black Aston Martin for his dumb brothers to be put in dog jail for the day.

She looked back at the doggy day care and then back at the car. She spun the car keys in her hand, an idea hatching in her mind. As she got into the driver's seat, a wicked grin pulled the corner of her lips up. "You know with these royal tags. . . we could technically go anywhere." Her eyebrows lifted. "Since the King is playing hooky today. . . why can't we?" She buckled in and checked the rear view mirror. "What say you, Cerberus. Up for an adventure?"

She arrived at the portal. Security passed her through after checking her plates. Cerberus was a good a recommendation as they come. If Cerberus allowed it, then whoever rode with him could go anywhere they wanted.

* * *

The car edged up along the platform. Lights turned on, reacting to their presence. "Where should we go?" She leaned forward, crossing her arms on the steering wheel. "We could go anywhere. We could see the top of Mount Olympus, or we could visit Amphitrite in the depths of the sea. Oooh, what about checking out the 7 wonders of the world?" She looked back at Cerberus. "Well? What do you think, huh?"

The lights turned off and Persephone could smell magic in the air. "Alright. Decision time." She closed her eyes and thought about all the places she wanted to visit. She felt the car vibrate. She felt herself vibrate. Cerberus whined and tried to climb into Persephone's lap. Loud noises that she couldn't describe raked through her. Tearing her apart and then stitching her together again.

She blinked and the sun hit her eyes viciously. Cicadas screamed somewhere off in the distance. The sound of a soft ocean wave drifted in from the right, but Persephone knew it wasn't water. The car she'd been driving had transformed into a chariot, led by four black horses. Their long hair cascading down to their hooves, that pawed at the soft dirt. They clinked their harnesses as their skin twitched to scare off the flies. Cerberus jumped out of the chariot, nose to the ground, sniffing up and consuming as much data about their surroundings as he could.

Persephone stood up slowly, taken aback. Of all the places she could have gone.

She came home. Another home.

Just as she imagined, to the right; the field of wheat waving in the wind, creating a quiet rustling like the tides of the ocean. Beyond it, there is a tree house she built when she was 9 and from it see pretended she could see the whole world from her perch. To the right, a path led down to the river banks, where she used to bathe and gossip with the local nymphs.

She swallowed something in her throat. Her house. Her mom's house. The house of her childhood. Staring up at the plantation home, she suddenly felt so small again. Her roots were buried beneath the floorboards, deeper than the oldest tree.

She stepped forward lightly. As she did the yellowing grass bounced back to young crisp green. Their soft blades leaned towards her, wanting more. Quietly she climbed up the steps and peered inside the window on the porch. Her heart raced as her hands clasped around the window to her old bedroom. She tumbled inside quickly, one foot after the other. She felt like a trespasser. A thief in her own home.

Nothing had changed in her bedroom. And yet, she felt foreigner inside of it. The room didn't change, but she, Persephone did. A tear welled up in her eye, seeing all the things she used to love. All the things that had died inside of her as time went on. The wave of happy memories, felt like a sharp knife, because she knew she could only view them from a glass wall, from a distance. She picked up a stuffed bunny, her hands trailing on her books.

It wasn't so long ago. A blink in the eye for gods, but her world was contained in that blink and now it was ending. She blinked and she'd missed it, time running through her hands like sand and she couldn't pick it back up again.

Cerberus barked by the chariot. A deep and powerful growl. Persephone dashed to the window to see his lips pull back and sharp canines foreshadowed a deadly end to those that vexed him.

A tall shadow marched forward, regardless. Her green hand crossed in front of her chest, closing her robe more tightly around herself. Demeter.

"Mom." Persephone whispered, wanting to run to her. But the window slammed shut, nearly crushing her fingers.

Demeter spun towards the sound. "Hades." She raised her eyebrow. "Come on, Hades. I know you're here. It's about time you answered me. I know I'm not the easiest person to get a hold of, but-"

Persephone raced to the door and swung it open. She stood on the top step, balancing on her tiptoes and teetering forward.

"Mom!" Persephone leaped down the stairs and into her arms.

"Kore?" Demeter gasped. "Kore, is it really you?"

"Ugh." She pulled away. "I told you to stop calling me that." Demeter tugged her daughter into a hug all the more intensely. "Oh baby, I've missed you."

So much had happened since she left this house. So much had gone unsaid. So many nights had passed where Persephone wished she were where she is right now, clinging to her mom.

"I've missed you too, mom." In her mother's arms, she could almost forget. She could almost feel like a child again. Like her room, Demeter hadn't changed. Strong, sturdy, caring and protective. "Oh mom." She sighed and collapsed into her.

"What's wrong?"

It felt like old times again. Sitting together, watching the sun cast heat waves in the air, feeling the sweat on their skin as they talked about their opinions. What mattered in the world. Right and wrong. The small things and big things. Just the two of them against the world. Sipping tea and sharing secrets. Nothing but love between them. Her mom always had her back, always supported her, pushed her to better things. Wanting the world for Persephone. And Persephone found it for herself.

"Momma, can I tell you a secret?" She smiled.

"Of course."

"You're the only one I really want to share this with." She imagined them on the swing set, with the fireflies lighting up the navy night. "It's why I'm here." Persephone understood it now. Why the portal took led her home. This was why. "I want to tell you." Her big eyes shined up at Demeter, showing her heart on her sleeve. "Momma, I've fallen in love."

Demeter held a vacant expression.

Then Persephone blinked. And her world ended.

* * *

 **PS: I'm trying out putting the longer stories into their own separate story. It was brought to my attention that navigating through all 17 chapters on mobile is tough when you're looking for a specific story. So I'm trying it out with a new NSFW story I did for LO called "Work From Home" please check it out and let me know what you think of splitting away from this. collection with the longer multiple parters.**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	16. If You Like it Part 2

**Characters based off Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe.**

 **AN: Happy New Year! I was hoping to get this story finished before now, but it's turned into something quite harder to tame. I hope you like it.**

* * *

If You Like it

Part 2

* * *

A long time ago, when the chaos had settled, and their wounds had stopped bleeding, the six of them stared off into the world below them. A world new and wild. A world in need of guidance and nurturing. A world that was theirs to shape and preside over.

Now that the battle was over, their responsibilities to their soldiers and warriors didn't end there. This was only the beginning.

Hera would never forget the day. She'd sacrificed and fought alongside them. She helped Zeus and his brothers vanquish their father and the rest of the titans. Weary, tired, and running on empty, he treated her with kindness, wanting nothing more than to make her feel seen. They would call him the Unseen One in the days ahead, when the stories of their battle and triumph would be recorded down and taught, sung, written about, and celebrated. But it was that quiet moment, a moment no one wrote poems about, or painted on pottery, that Hera cherished most. After all the bloodshed and death, she felt hope in their abilities to lead with grace. She felt hope that these brothers would not just be another reincarnation of their parent's folly. Hera felt safe, knowing she picked the right side. Confident that these men would lead more dutifully than their predecessors, she helped them reshape their world and order.

And she never got the chance to thank him for giving her that moment.

On her white patio chair, Hera swallowed back a lump in her throat. " _Why did you neglect me?"_

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hera snatched her sunglasses out of thin air and pushed them high up on her nose, sniffing. Her mind raced with the last 2000 years, flashing images. Moments that she missed. Moments she ignored.

Hades' red eyes pierced into hers, trying to see what she did in her head. He didn't want to have this conversation now, but the words were out and they couldn't be erased. "Am I so horrible that you thought it better that I sit in my dark Kingdom alone?"

"What?" Hera gasped. "Horrible?"

"I must be." Hades voice rose. "I get it. I really do. I'm sure you wouldn't wish your enemy to stand by my side." He slunk further into the chair.

"Hades." Hera twirled a cigarette that popped into her hand. "I didn't think- I never thought-"

"Ah. So that's it." Hades sneered. "Now it makes sense. You didn't think about me. Why would you? Poor blue lonely Hades, working to death in the underworld." His body darkened. A shadow like wave spread through his hair. "It must have been so inconvenient whenever your thoughts led to me. What a sad interruption to your glamorous life in Olympus. Better to bury those thoughts, huh?- so you wouldn't have to find yourself feeling guilty. So you wouldn't have to wonder how I'm doing, because you knew the answer to it and you just wanted to ignore it. Well, I'm sorry that my existence is so small that it's easier to forget I'm here. I never wanted this!" He stood up suddenly, his whole body shimmering black midnight. "I never wanted this life. For 2000 years I thought you were my closest friend so FUCK YOU for not thinking about me."

Hera stood up too, scraping her chair across the floor. "Don't you fucking dare blame this on me." She pointed a finger at him. "Don't you dare think that I'm responsible for whatever bullshit life you've made for yourself. _So poor Hades_." She patronized him. "POOR HADES INDEED. How sad you must be, ruling your own kingdom, having all the wealth in the world, working yourself to death in a job you, YOURSELF FUCKING created! POOR HADES!" She spat. "It's not MY fault that YOU decided to ignore us." Her arms began to glow. "It's not MY fault that YOU stopped coming over." The crown on her head sparkled with a bright light. "It's not MY fault that YOU sequestered yourself up like a hermit with your dogs and your cars and your booze. And it's not MY fault that YOU never tried to have anything more than your loneliness."

They stood across from each other, complete opposites, shadow and sunlight. "So how dare you, come into MY house and yell at me for not doing enough for you. You were my best friend and you-YOU Hades-are the one that walked away."

He stepped closer, like a black void closing in. "I had no choice, and you know that. He wanted me away from you."

Hera found something in his eyes that made her hold her tongue and took in a deep breath. "That was a long time ago, Hades."

"Your husband is a jealous man." Hades dimmed, the darkness softening.

Hera nodded in agreement. "Your brother is a lot of things." She cupped her hand to her forehead. She felt hot and near out of control. A cold glass bumped into her other hand. Hebe offering up a wine spritzer. She pushed a glass of whisky towards Hades and then ran out of sight before they could call her back.

"That child." Hera shook her head. "She hears too much."

"She's a good kid." Hades said. He looked at the place Hebe disappeared, his mind running a mile a minute, jumping to all the sour parts of his life. "I think I'm afraid."

"You? Afraid?" Hera raised her eyebrow, taking a much needed sip of her drink. "And what scares the king of the underworld?"

"Being a father." He admitted quietly. "I-I-I." His words got caught in his throat so he swallowed them down.

Hera looked up at him intensely. "I never pegged you for a family man."

"No." Hades choked up and he turned away from Hera. "You didn't."

Hera sighed, thinking of her hall of portraits. Hera and Zeus wrapped in each other's arms. Ares rubbing Hephaestus's hair to his annoyance. Eris moping in the corner. Eileithyia holding her baby sister Hebe up to the camera as if she were her own. Her sister-in-law Amphitrite holding up baby Triton with Poseidon by her side throwing a young Rhode up into the air. And Hades. Alone.

"You could have told me." Hera sighed.

"I wanted to, but. . ." Hades looked at his hands on the table. "I'm telling you now. Bunny, I want to marry her."

She nodded, quietly absorbing his words. Hera looked at her dear friend, weighing and measuring her next sentence. It was time to answer his question. "You-You were right. I'm sorry. All these years." Hera looked out over Olympus. "I didn't want to watch you turn into the husband mine did." Her words were slow and careful.

Hades grabbed her hand, emotion twisting up his face. "Oh, Hera."

She smiled sadly, a tear running down her cheek. "I love your brother so much. Though I have done nothing with my life but serve him and I didn't want-" She stopped herself. "I am Queen Hera. Married to the King of the Gods, but that does not make me his equal." She breathed. "It makes me his servent." She took another breath. "This isn't just about love, Hades. You, King of the Underworld, taking a wife. . . it's not so simple as running off into blissful romance."

Hades pulled Hera into his chest and hugged her. "I promise you, Hera." He held her shoulders to look in her eyes. "My wife, if she so accepts it, will never know of your burden. She will rule alongside me, not beneath me. I won't rule over her, but we will rule together. I wouldn't want it any other way."

Hera wrapped her arms around him. "Oh Hades." She cried. "Why did it have to be her?" A laugh bubbled up, breaking out. "Demeter is going to kill me." Hera shook her head and pulled away from him. "I'm. . . I'm happy for you. I really am." She smiled warmly. "You have my blessing."

Hades squeezed her hand. She wiped a tear from her cheek. "Oh! I have something for you." She led him away, off the veranda and down a hallway. "I've kept something of yours. And I suppose it's time to give them back."

* * *

 _Persephone blinked. A fresh breeze caressed her skin, an invisible force threading through her hair. The sea of tall untamed grass nodded into her, planting light kisses. The rough underside of their blades catching tension, holding on just a little longer. She exhaled so deeply, digging something up within her chest and expelling it, but what, she couldn't remember. This was her home. In the fields, the grass lashing at her bare ankles. The sun over head, baked in the sweat of a good long day. The sun overhead dried up the tear tracks on her cheeks._

 _Persephone blinked. She felt the crust on her lash line. She was crying? She blinked again. No, she couldn't be crying. What would she have to cry about? She had everything in the world she needed. Her life was complete. She had her mom, her animals, her fields of freedom and light. Everything she needed to be a goddess of servitude. She had everything she wanted. Her foot caught on a root and she swung her arms up to hold herself steady._

 _That's when she saw it. A peculiar flower. Her head tilted as she gazed upon the vibrant blue petal, a contrast to the muted barely, the warm pink azaleas, and pale white daisies. No, no other flower like this one grew. Even more odd still, this was not grown by her, or known by her._

 _Curious, Persephone bent down before it. "Hello, little stranger." Her fingers outstretched about to touch the delicate blue edges. "Who are you?" Instead she folded her finger back into her palm. "What are you doing in my garden?" Something about it, seemed familiar. Surely, she must have conjured this flower up earlier. It frustrated her that the answer alluded her. She should know every flower under the sun and yet here grows this precocious blue flower all alone. As if to taunt her._

 _Persephone blinked and her hand clasped around the stem. With determination she pulled and plucked the little flower out of the ground. As she did she felt her intestines get yanked up too. The flower's stem kept coming up out of the ground, but she felt like she was pulling her own gut through the dirt and twisting it straight._

 _She stood up uncomfortably, feeling woozy and nauseous. The blue petals were crushed in her palm. Shaking, she opened her fist. The broken and bruised petals of a lone forget-me-not._

 _Forget-me-not._

 _Forget what?_

 _The ground started to shake._

 _What did she forget?_

 _Where she plucked the flower, the earth began to sink in, opening up a cavern._

 _She couldn't remember._

 _The mouth of it growing wide, funneling the field into its depths bit by bit. To not fall in, she backed away hurriedly._

 _Something was wrong. She had to remember._

 _A roar like thunder sounded underground._

 _Come on, Persephone. What is it? What have you forgotten._

 _A dark shadow closing in. A dark shadow coming for her. A dark shadow coming to take her away._

 _It was on the tip of her tongue but the memories evaded her. She stood there unable to move, watching her fate barrel towards her. Up from the earth the shadow charged towards her and she was unable to move. A snarl erupted and a vicious growl grew into a harsh bark._

Persephone blinked. And this time her eyes opened. She sat up. But it wasn't her bed. No. It was her bed. Her old bed. A sleep that existed in her memory.

She jolted out, flinging the worn quilt to the side. A warm light streamed in from the window behind her and she made for the door. She jiggled the knob but it wouldn't open.

"Foolish girl." Echoes of her mother's voice hissed in her head. "After all I've done for you. This is what you make of yourself? A fool?" Her mother's arms had still been wrapped around her in an embrace. Her words cut quietly into her ear. Fragments of memory. The more she looked back into that moment, the more she felt like she was looking into a shattered mirror, the sharp edges pushing against her forehead. "It'll be alright." Her mother had whispered to her. "I'll keep you safe now."

She stepped towards her nightstand where a letter was delicately placed.

" _Dear Persephone. I'm glad you decided to stay. I'll need all the help I can get for next harvest, and it'll be such a good image to have us working together again. Just like it should be. I've missed you terribly. I'll bring you food when you wake up. You had a nasty fall outside. You'll be okay. You're home now._

 _Love Mom."_

The letter dropped from her hand. Something seemed off. She went for the door again, but it still wouldn't budge. This wasn't home. The air was too warm. The light was too bright. It was her old bedroom but everything was different. Her mom was trying to force her to stay the same but it was already too late. Persephone had grown out of her mason jar and she couldn't fit back in.

She felt off balance, like something was missing on her scale and she was tipping over the other side. As she tried for the window, her foot slipped on something and she barely caught herself. In the middle of her floor, poking out from a rug was a small blue rectangle. Like the dream, this small blue was out of place and unknown to her. Curiously, she picked the small card up.

"King of the Underworld

God of the Dead

God of Wealth:

Hades

Aidoneus

Dark Zeus

Dis

Plouton

Pluto"

Persephone gasped. The scales realigned. The weight balanced out again.

Hades. Hades. Hades.

Memories flooded through her, breaking down the sharp edges of her forgetfulness. Hades' hands as strong as atlas, carrying her body into crisp clean sheets, tucking her in. Hades' chest, like a security blanket she nuzzled in. Hades' wit in their conversation, making her laugh, and think. The way he listened to her intently, making her feel worth while. His gentleness in his eyes. His thick hair, that when she combed back a certain way, his eyes rolled back. Her Hades. She couldn't own him, but she owned the way she loved him.

And she had to get out of here. She had to go home.

She flipped his business card in her fingers, eying the last line.

* * *

Hades strode into the elevator, patting his jacket pocket for the thousandth time since leaving Hera's. "Hello, Mirella." He beamed down to the imp. "Level 99, please. If you will."

The imp perked up and smiled bashfully. He didn't start using her name until Persephone. There was a certain pep in the king's step today. She watched him leave the elevator. Three hours later that he usually arrives.

The new satyr assistant greeted him with the rundown for the day. His business suit fit loosely over his shaggy fur. He held his clipboard out awaiting Hades arrival.

"Don't worry, I've already moved the one meetings this morning to tomorrow. I went ahead and canceled the meeting with Charon you had this afternoon since I know those meetings only waste your time. I sent him a copy of his review from last year and just changed the dates to ease his mind."

"Anything else?" Hades questioned, never losing his pace up to his office.

"Oh, um." The satyr clip clopped alongside him. "Persephone didn't show up." He said nervously. "I called her but it just went to voicemail." Hades stopped on a dime and turned to him. "I assumed she was. . . with you."

"And why would you assume that?"

"Well." He rubbed his leg with his hoof nervously. "It wouldn't be. . ." He gulped. "The first time."

"Hmm." Hades puffed on his cigar in one hand and pulled out his phone in the other. "Do you have her school schedule?"

"No classes today, your majesty."

"Hmm." After the first ring, he heard her new more professional voicemail. A confident voice greeted his ears. " _Hello. This is Persephone's number. I'm probably busy, because I am busy. If you'd like a response, please leave a short detailed message after the tone and I'll get back to you soon."_

"Persephone. I just wanted to make sure you were-" He eyed his assistant and then turned his back to him to walk into his office alone. "I know I left in a hurry this morning and I apologize for that. I hope I didn't upset you. I was wanting to know if you wanted to go to dinner tonight to discuss. . . us." He felt the thing in his pocket grow in weight. "Call me back. I-I love you."

He waited a few minutes at his desk, staring at his large wall painting. It was time for a change of scenery. Something brighter. More natural. He made a mental note to ask his new assistant to change it. He checked his email, seeing his inbox nearly busting. Every issue presented just seemed so inconsequential. Delete. Delete. Another email from Styx? Delete. Nothing else seemed to matter. Like the colors around everything else faded. His mind was only swarming around one thing. Persephone was a bright light that absorbed all his energy.

After waiting an excruciating two minutes, he pulled out his phone again and texted her.

 _-Dinner tonight? I was thinking we go somewhere nice.-_

He immediately got an automatic message back.

 _-This user is in the mortal realm and cannot receive messages right now._

 _If this is an emergency please press 1.-_

Hades clicked his mouth. In another minute he was walking down level 91, passing by Persephone's co-workers until he found her workspace.

"Hey Hades. How's it hanging." Thanatos rolled out from the other aisle. "You know. While Persephone was gone this morning, I've taken the top spot today in the-"

"Shut it." Hades held his hand up to stop him. "Do you know where she is?"

"Little pinky?" Thanatos raised his eyebrow. "Nope. Last I saw she was riding home with you yesterday."

He eyed Thanatos a moment with calm eyes then clicked his mouth again. "Does. . . does everyone know?"

"Yeah, boss. Everyone knows." Thanatos rolled back to his desk. "The sexual tension the last few weeks has been tangible. Suffocating. I had to get an inhaler. You're both terrible liars."

Hades shook his head and sighed. They've been slacking in their clandestine goals. He had been trying to protect her. Their scandal in the paper already did enough damage. It wouldn't matter. Soon, everyone would know. Soon Persephone's picture would be hanging in the lobby down below. In every office next to his. In the portrait gallery in the palace. Persephone would brighten every room her painting hung in. He patted his jacket pocket and inhaled.

That is, if she came to dinner.

He checked his phone again. What was she doing in the mortal realm?

"Thanatos." Hades paced over to his desk. "Does Persephone have an assignment in the mortal realm?"

"Shouldn't you know?"

"I don't micromanage." He huffed his cigar. "Well, not anymore."

"It's possible." Thanatos shrugged. "But I think her new assignment was managing river cleanup. You know. . . since after the whole. . . Min-"

Hades waved his hand to stop Thanatos from going on. "She wasn't supposed to be on site until tomorrow." He grumbled then checked his security feed from his garage. Two empty spots. His car and the car she took. So she left the house.

He called the doggy daycare and confirmed Russell and Cordon Bleu's arrival. The employee gushed on the phone about her and made it known he wouldn't mind if Persephone came around again to drop off his dogs in the future.

"Well. I'm sure she's fine. She can take care of herself." He finally admitted, but a seed of worry planted in his gut. Wouldn't she tell him if she went to the mortal realm?

The elevator door opened and Cerberus charged forward. His snout pulled back in a vicious snarl. All three heads out and growling. He tracked mud through the tight carpet.

"What's up, boy?" Hades knew instantly something was wrong. He thumbed the flower chain on his head. A familiar pattern. "Were you with Persephone?"

Cerberus bowed forward, leaning his head to the floor and dropped something at Hades' feet. He knelt down to pick it up. Hades twisted a single strand of barley between his fingers and then his eyes glowed red.

Then the wind was knocked out of him as he felt two fists pounding on his chest. No- Not _on_ but inside him. A beat of a heart, like a drum. A one two tap on a space between the realms that lived in him. A pounding that only he could feel like hearing wave lengths. A magic spark.

Someone was praying to him.

No one prayed to him calmly. No one prayed to him in good times. He closed his eyes and behind his eyelids saw small pink hands hitting the floor. Across realms, Persephone was calling out to him in distress.

* * *

 **PS: I'm trying out putting the longer stories into their own separate story. It was brought to my attention that navigating through all 17 chapters on mobile is tough when you're looking for a specific story. So I'm trying it out with a new NSFW story I did for LO called "Work From Home" please check it out and let me know what you think of splitting away from this. collection with the longer multiple parters.**

 **xoxo- Goldie**


	17. If You Like It Part 3

**Lore Olympus characters from Rachel Smythe. You know the drill**

 **AN: I hope you guys like this one. I actually got a headache while writing this part because my body tensed up so much. This one was like therapy and a half. So, Let me know what you think!**

* * *

If You Like It

Part 3:

The Bargaining Place

* * *

On her knees, trapped in her own room, Persephone hit her hands to ground once. She raised her hands again, not knowing if this would do anything, not knowing if he would hear her, but believing that maybe, just maybe, he would find her. Then a second time, she smacked her hands down and she gasped out his name, but her words were lifted from her, no longer vibrations in the air, but light piercing through the darkness; her palms were no longer propping her up on the hard wooden floor of her old bedroom, but pressing against Hades chest. Her fingers on his soft silky suit, covering his hard chest muscles. "Hades!" She cried out, but it sounded like she spoke underwater. She couldn't tell which way was up or down or if she was kneeling on top of him or if they were both vertical. It didn't make sense.

Hades blinked far off in the distance, then looked down at her. Worry filled his eyebrows. He trailed a hand across her cheek but she couldn't feel his touch. He passed through her like a ghost. A roaring like sound crashed through like a wave breaking overhead. Hades opened his mouth but the words got drowned out. The edges of her vision darkened and began to tremble.

She didn't understand. What was happening? What is this place?

Persephone peeled her eyes away from him to stare up at her room. Her bed was on her ceiling. The window floated in the middle of the room. Nothing was where it should have been. The room's contents were jumbled up as if shaken and suspended in thick dark liquid. As she watched, her past possession began to disintegrate into the darkness.

"What the-" Persephone said. The sound echoing back in her head. Tired of this, Persephone pulled on Hades suit, gripping his collar and hoisting him up. She used as much strength as she could muster, but the harder she pulled Hades up, the more her past surroundings faded into the shadows. The light from the windows melted down into a starless midnight. The floor disappeared beneath her feet. A blue hand held her steady, catching her by surprise. She could feel him. Hades eyes were alight with a wild blue light.

"Kore." Hades called to her. His voice echoed back " _kore - ore -ore_ " as if speaking down a long tunnel. He brushed her long hair back away from her eyes, leaving his hand cupped around her face. "You called?" ( _alled-alled-alled_ )

"You answered." Persephone sighed in relief. The words didn't come from her mouth, but she heard it clearly in her mind, cutting through the murky sensory deprivation. She threw herself into his arms, nuzzling into his chest. The warmth inside of him radiated not on her skin but inside her. "Where are we?" She didn't even move her lips this time.

Hades' shoulders shrugged. "It's complicated." _(cated -ated-ated)_ He waved his hand and the darkness began to take shape. As if she were as light as a sheet of paper, he swung Persephone up into his arms and walked forward through the nothingness. To her, it looked like he was just walking in place. Yet around him, a room began to form out of the shadows. Shadows layered over one another to form tangible objects. By the time he stopped, he pulled out a chair from the black. A table arose and he took his seat opposite hers. "I call this The Bargaining Place." _(ace-ace)_

"Is this real?" Persephone wiped her finger along the edge of the table. Trailing shadows, like a cloud, but her finger slid along a firm surface.

"Very much so." _(o-o-o)_ Hades answered seriously. "And also not." _(ot-ot-ot)_ "Like I said it's complicated." _(ated-ated)_ His arms lunged forward and took her hands up into his. "Persephone, why did you call me?" _(me - e-e)_ A hurt look in his eyes.

Their hands wrapped up together made her feel more at ease in this peculiar space. She knew nothing would hurt her when she was with Hades. He would never let it happen and she trusted him with her immortal life. She didn't need his protection, but she loved the way he did, like a warm blanket on a cold night.

"I made a mistake." No air escaped her lips as she sighed. "I tried to tell Demeter. My mother." She winced and looked up at Hades apologetically. "About us." She smiled sadly. "I was just so happy. For the first time I feel like myself and I was always under the impression that being with someone would make you less- make you sacrifice yourself, cutting into who you are so the other person could fit. Like two puzzle pieces. But that's wrong." She shook her head. Now that her words were just thoughts, she couldn't stop them from rambling. "It's not what we are at all. I feel free. I'm more me than I have been in a long time. I didn't even know what that meant until we started dating. Who I was and who I am. I never have ever felt like I had to cut away pieces of myself for you. You want all of me. And fuck, I want all of me too. And you. No compromises. All your issues and scars. Your bad habits and awful cooking. I love you. And I'm so happy. And-" She felt herself start to cry, but no tears ever came. "And I just wanted my mom to know that. I just wanted my mom, who's my best friend. The only other person who cares about me as much as you do, to know that I've found where I belong. That I had found my own way and that I'm happy."

Hades' blinked back the tears that Persephone couldn't cry. He cleared his throat and squeezed her hand. "What happened?" _(appened - appened)_

"She tried to take you away from me." Her expression, full of emotion began to melow into a blank coldness. Flickers of memory dotted her vision. Light splotches of her remembrances unfurling before her, swirling onto the surface of the table.

Like watching actors on the television screen, Persephone saw herself and her mother talking outside on the steps of her childhood home. Demeter as tall as Hades, wrapping her arms around her. Feeling just as safe and secure in those arms she knew so well.

"I want to tell you." Persephone said with absolute conviction. Even from this distance, it was obvious that every part of her was buzzing. News that if she had kept inside herself, would make her implode. "Mamma, I've fallen in love."

Watching this scene from outside herself, Persephone now saw the light dim in her mother's eyes, her face fall, and her fist tighten.

"Why would you do such a silly thing like that?" Demeter rose up to her full height and crossed her hands at her hips. "This isn't how I raised you."

"Mamma." Persephone sighed and her whole body schlumped. "You kinda did."

"Poppycock!" Demeter exclaimed. "Now let's get you inside and see if I can talk some sense into you." Demeter grabbed Persephone's wrist and stalked off for the front entrance.

"Momma!" Persephone yanked her hand back. "Stop. You're the one that told me to be true to myself. To not let anyone steamroll over me." She tossed her hands out to either side of herself. "So here I am, Momma. Being true to myself. This, this right here is the person you raised me to be. And I won't let you pressure me. Not anymore"

"Pressure you?" Demeter rolled her eyes. "You've only gotten where you are today, because I've pushed you. Because I've put pressure on you. If I let you grow up with every whim and desire you wanted, you'd be asleep right now in your bed with nothing in your head but noodles and a fat ass that can't even use a hoe."

Persephone gritted her teeth. "I'm not your child anymore, Momma."

Demeter took a step back, stung. After a moment she leaned forward with her finger in Persephone's face. "You will always-ALWAYS, be my child, Kore."

"Momma." Persephone sighed.

"Do you know where I was when I was your age?" Demeter kept going. "Do you know what I would have done to have a childhood like yours? Do you like this mortal realm? Do you know who built it? I DID. When I was your age, I was fighting not just for my life, but for thousands, tens of thousands that were counting on me. Dozens of gods and goddess were scared to do what I did, but I did it, because it had to be done and I wasn't going to look back and regret all the 'should haves'. I was busy putting blood sweat and tears into every ounce of daylight. Do you think I complained about the shortcomings in my life? No! I was busy creating a new world."

"Momma," Persephone shook her head. "I'm not saying that I'm ungrateful. Or that I wish you had raised me differently. I'm saying, I'm proud of who I am now, and because of that, I can make my own decisions. And you're a big reason for that." Persephone gently held her hands. "You're the biggest inspiration I have. Everything you've done and accomplished, practically all on your own. It's been my dream to work with you. You're not just my mom, or my friend, but the person I look up to most in the world." Persephone shared with every ounce of sincerity. "And you're right. When you were my age, you had the weight of the world on your shoulders and I'm so glad, that you chose that mantel. But Momma. All I'm asking is that you realize, I'm the same age you were when you dismantled and put the world back in order. So I don't need you looking over my shoulder. Not anymore. I've grown up." Demeter tried to pull away, but Persephone wouldn't let go of her mother's hands. "And I know that's hard for you. It's hard for me too." She chuckled sadly. "I remember late nights staring up at the stars as you taught me the constellations. I'd fall asleep and after some time you'd pick me up in your arms and carry me to bed. You'd kiss my forehead as you tucked me in and I knew I had nothing to worry about."

From her seat watching the memory unfold, Persephone saw a tear fall down her mother's face. "Oh, Kore. You were so little. I wish I could still pick you up in my arms and tuck you in."

"I know, momma." Persephone nodded. "I know." Demeter collapsed onto Persephone's shoulders. Persephone ran her hand down her mother's hair. "I was born in your garden." She hummed into her hair. "You plucked me up into your life like a flower. And like a flower, I grew."

Demeter nodded and sniffed, blinking back her teary eyes. "I did my best to prune you."

Persephone laughed. "You did." Slowly, Demeter arose to her full height. "But I'm a natural creature, momma. And I've come into my own."

"I know. I know." Demeter shook her head. "I knew what you were, not just a flower goddess, but a fertility goddess before you did. I think I knew this would happen. I just wanted to keep you to myself as long as I could." She laughed sadly. "I had to try." Demeter sat down on the porch steps and patted the spot next to her. "You're my only daughter. My only child. I'd work so hard to build a world I was proud of and I felt like it was finally ready for you. Then one day. . ." Demeter's eyes widened. "There you were. This small pink bundle full of life and energy, dependent on me. And I got scared."

Persephone leaned into her mother's shoulder. Demeter dipped her head down and kissed the crown of her daughter's head.

Demeter continued. "I thought the world was ready for you, but the world is still corrupt and dirty. I just wanted you so badly. And with you, the world seemed brighter. You were brighter. You were the light source that made my world fresh and new. And I didn't want to see you get tarnished, to fall into the ways of the world."

It occured to Persephone that Demeter never got over the wars. That her life was a constant battle and every decision played out into schemes and tactics to win.

Persephone snuggled closer to her mother. "I'm still your little girl, momma. Just not so little."

Demeter raised her eyebrows.

"Okay, I'm still little, but I'm not THAT little." She laughed and released her arms. "Also, I'm not just a girl now. I'm a woman." She stared at her hands, feeling Demeter's eyes appraise her.

Demeter said objectively, "Yes. You are a woman now."

"It hasn't been easy. It's been a really hard struggle, but it's been my struggle and I couldn't do it with you."

"What do you mean?" Demeter curled a loch of pink hair around her finger. "Did someone hurt you?"

Persephone pushed Demeter's hand away. "A dozen times over." She sighed. "It is a dirty and corrupt world." She felt the anger start to boil under her mother's green skin. "It's okay, momma. You fought your own battles. And I fought mine. And we both became who we are now because of it." Persephone stared at her hands again, not sure if she should continue. "You tried to hide me from the world. To protect me from it." She bit her lip. "So, when I faced it on my own, I didn't know what I was dealing with. It kind of put me at a disadvantage."

"You shouldn't have had to face it alone." Tension in her mother's voice. "You shouldn't have had to face it at all."

"No," Persephone shook her head. "I did. I mean. I had friends and I had support but I had to handle it for me, by myself." She leaned back and stared off at the large barn to the west. "You know, when I was seven years old, I was playing with my powers and I started hatching eggs. One of the eggs just sort of kept bumping. The chick inside wasn't breaking out of it's egg and I thought it needed help. I thought it would die in there. So I grabbed a fork from the kitchen and pecked at the egg, making enough room for the chick to come out." Persephone closed her eyes. "It wouldn't come out so I pulled it through. It's fuzzy hair was all wet and I set it down on the ground next to his brothers and sisters and I thought I had really done something really special for it." As she paused, a silent tear fell down her cheek. "It died not one hour later. It wasn't strong enough to survive. It needed to break out on its own. It needed that struggle to learn how to live. I got it backwards. I was so wrong that day." Persephone shook her head, breaking free from the memory. "So yes, I struggled. I became stronger. I learned how to fly. I learned how to live. And you couldn't teach me that."

Persephone couldn't tell what Demeter was thinking. She just choked back something down her throat. Her fist clenched and unclenched. "I should have been there for you."

"Momma, you were always there for me. At every turn. At every decision, you were there with me. You're my night sky, momma."

"Oh, precious child."

Persephone took in a deep breath and exhaled. "But that's not why I came here. I didn't come to tell you I've gone through some shit. I didn't come to tell you about the battles I've faced while I've been gone. I won them all, just so you know."

"Atta girl."

"Momma, I came here . . . because I just. . . I just can't keep it to myself anymore. After all I've been through the last few months, I've found happiness. And I-"

"With a boy?" Demeter raised her eyebrows.

"With a man." Persephone corrected.

"Hmpf." Demeter sneered, but she was wasn't as hostile to the idea as before. "No man is good enough for you."

Hades whispered, "She's got a good point." _(point - oint- oint)_

Persephone jumped from her shadowy chair, forgetting where she was, so transfixed on the memory playing out on the table. "I didn't know you could see this too." Persephone whispered back. As Hades was about to reply, "It's my-" she shushed him so they could hear the rest of the conversation.

"You know, I suppose it was hypocritical of me to want you to be an eternal maiden. I've been in love before too, you know." Demeter leaned back on her elbows.

"Really?" Persephone perked up.

"Not sure love is the right word. But I will admit the company of men. . . is. . . nice sometimes." Demeter shrugged.

"Momma, you slut." Persephone laughed.

"Hey." Demeter threw her hand up in warning. "I'm still your mother."

"But you've never loved?"

"I saw what love did to my friends. To those around me." Demeter explained. "I never wanted to appear so foolish. Bitchy and callous, yes. Stern and angry, sure. But never a fool."

Persephone fiddled her fingers. It was her own fear as well, passed on like an inheritance.

"I'd seen what the end of love does. Man needs crops and food to survive, but not even that will sustain a person with a broken heart." She tenderly stroked her daughter's cheek. "I never wanted to see you hurt like that. So I thought, it best if you never got the chance to fall. I hoped you would understand. That you would follow my lead."

"I'm not you, momma."

"I see that now." Demeter gritted her teeth. "And I was a fool to think that." She took a deep breath. "My daughter. My young baby girl. . . in love." She smiled down at Persephone. "So, should I start building on to the house? I could make your room bigger. They'll have to be rules in place of course. But our house is big enough for an extra. Maybe more, if you decide to have children."

"Wh-what?" Persephone blinked. "Woah. Momma. Huh?"

"Well, first comes love." Demeter teased. "Then comes marriage. Then comes. . . how does it go, something something baby carriage."

"Oh geez."

"What?" Demeter shrugged light heartedly. "Isn't it how that goes?"

"Momma, if-" Persephone laid out. "If we decide to get married. I can't stay here, obviously."

"And why the Tartarus not?"

"Precisely." Persephone sighed.

"Oh, you don't think the house is big enough? I knew sending you to Olympus would mess with your head. All those mansions and palaces. Well, I'll build you two a new house passed the corn fields. How about that?"

"Momma." Persephone held her hands up. "I-. It won't be possible. He can't move here."

Demeter raised her eyebrows. "I don't-. What- you don't want to? You don't want to live with me?"

" _Gods, could you imagine?" (agine-agine)_

"Well," Persephone hesitated then decided to pick her battles. "It's that. . . he already has. . . a house. A few actually." She shifted her gaze to her lap, fidgeting with the edge of her dress. "And, I mean, if we get married, which we might not, and that's fine, but if we do. . . things will be different. I won't live on the mortal realm."

"Of course you'll live on the mortal realm. You're the goddess of spring. You're needed here."

"I knew you wouldn't like this."

Demeter huffed and slammed her fist so hard on the steps, they cracked. "So, you'll be staying on Olympus then? Gods, I knew I shouldn't have sent you to that school. You know, there's a reason I left Olympus."

"Momma." Persephone began to sweat.

"Well, it's not the worst place in the world." Demeter juggled it in her mind. "I don't like it, but at least it's not Hades."

" _Ouch." (ouch-ouch-ouch)_

"Momma." Persephone exhaled a shaky breath and grabbed her mother's arm. "Momma, stop before you say something you'll regret." She stared at her mother's face, her resolve strengthening. "It's not Olympus."

"Persephone, what are you talking about?" Demeter's voice lost it's light heartedness.

"It's not just some man that I've fallen in love with." Persephone braced herself.

"Persephone." Demeter breathed, her name sounded like a warning. The harvest goddess turned away from her daughter out to the field. The chariot Persephone entered on. Four black horses gnawing gently at the tall grains. How had she not put it together sooner. She came to her house, looking for him. But instead found Persephone.

His dog. His horses. His chariot.

Slowly, Demeter turned towards her daughter, her face the color of horror. "No." Demeter stood up suddenly. "No." She shook her head. "I forbid it. Absolutely not."

"Momma, calm down."

"I will NOT calm down." Demeter seethed. "I will not allow this. Not him."

"Momma, I love him."

"NO." Demeter yanked Persephone's arm and stomped up the steps towards the house. "No."

"Momma. He's a good man. He's a good-"

"I don't want to hear it." She burst through the door.

"Momma, let go. You're hurting me."

On the shadowy table, Persephone began to rub her head, feeling the stinging tinges of the broken mirror still lingering here.

"Not him, Persephone. Not him."

"It is him."

"You wanna fall in love? Fine. Fine!" Demeter screeched. "Fall in love. Get hurt. Wake up with an empty bed and a swollen belly with some dumb jerk's baby if you want to. A lousy mortal, even. Fuck hundreds of them if you want to." She dragged Persephone into the kitchen, keeping her grip on Persephone's arm as she ravaged through the cabinets. "You like Kings? You know what, fuck Poseidon. He'd love that. Fuck Zeus if you must. But NOT him."

 _Hades rolled his eyes. "Yeesh." (eesh-eesh)_

Demeter pulled some dried herbs from a large glass container down and then marched over to her stone mortar and pestle.

"Momma, be reasonable."

Demeter swirled around. "Reasonable? It's just you and me, baby girl, and I AM the reasonable one in this kitchen. What, you just want me to watch you go into the underworld. Into the realm of the dead? You are a sunflower, not a shade wrangler. You're a bright spot of life and you have NO BUSINESS. NONE. in the underworld and if you think I'm gonna let Hades get his grabby hands on you, you know nothing."

"But, Momma, what about all that talk of indepence and-"

"I am your mother. You must obey me, and I forbid you from ever seeing Hades again. Do you understand?"

"You can't-"

"Hades may have absolute rule over the dead. But the dead don't make decisions." She began to grind up the ingredients she pulled from the cabinets. "You know who mortals depend on? ME. And if I'm not happy. Their not happy. And when they're not happy, Zeus isn't happy. And Zeus will do whatever they say to get them off his back, so he can get back to fucking around. And then you'll stay with me. As it should be. It's only right. It's what you were born for. You're to stay with me."

"Momma." Persephone tried to pull away. "Momma, you're scaring me."

"I'm sorry baby, but this is for your own good. My precious child, I'll fix this." Demeter dipped her fingers into the bowl. "You'll forget about him. It'll be like it never happened and we can go back to how it used to be. Doesn't that sound nice? Just us against the world. Just like it should be. And you'll forget about the pain of heartbreak. You'll forget you were in love. You'll forget Hades."

"STOP."

"It's for the best. Because otherwise, I won't be able to stand to look at the sadness on your face. I'm protecting you, like I've always been doing."

"Let me GO."

"I can't. I won't. I let you go before, and that's when everything went wrong. I'll never let you go again." Demeter held her hand over Persephone's mouth and nostrils, covered in the special paste she made.

The table went black. The memory faded.

Persephone held her head in her hands. Her breath was shallow and quick.

"Kore?" _(Kore-ore-ore)_ Hades whispered softly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." _(orry-orry-orry)_

"I woke up in my room. I had the strangest dream." The blue flower in the field. "I think it was about you, but I couldn't remember. My brain was trying to get me to remember." She stared off into the black surroundings. "She'll never let us be together." Persephone said knowingly. "I'll never be able to go back to you." She spoke as if sealing her own fate. "She'll do it. You saw the look in her eyes. She'll murder thousands of people before she'll let us be happy."

"I won't let her." Hades stood up from the table and began pacing. The shadows leaned towards him as he walked. "I'll think of something." _(ing-ing)_

Persephone shook her head. "She's smart. She'll use Zeus."

"The good news is that Zeus is on my side for once." Hades tapped his chin.

"Can't-" Persephone tilted her face. "Can't you take me with you, from here? Can't you take me back to the Underworld?" She motioned around the place.

Hades face turned long and grave. "No, Persephone. I can't take you back with me." _(me-e-e)_

She stood up and the shadowy chair disappeared underneath her. "Why not? This is your own dimension isn't it? Please. It'll be-"

"No, Persephone. I cannot take you back with me this way." He held her face in his hands. "This place," He paused. "When you called me this way, I was confused and so worried. The only people who call on me are ready to end their life. The people who meet me in The Bargaining Place are trying to trade their lives for something else, usually for someone else already in my kingdom. I had thought, only for a second, that you were-" Hades shook his head. "No matter. The only way to go back with me here, is through death." _(death-eath-eath)_

"Oh." Persephone nuzzled her face into his chest.

"You cannot die, little one. You cannot follow me." Hades kissed the top of her head. "At least not through here. But don't worry. I'll figure out another way." _(ay-ay-ay)_

"So, how do I go back?"

Hades pointed towards a pale grey horse. It's eyes as red as rubies. It's legs as thin as a skeleton.

"Fuck. How long has that been there?"

Hades chuckled. "Ride that horse. It will take you out of here, back to where you called for me.

"No. I don't want to leave."

"We both have to at some point. This isn't a permanent place. I'll think of something. I'll come for you."

Persephone's mind raced. A small idea the size of a seed began to grow. "Does. . . does my magic work here?" Persephone held her hands out.

"I'm not sure. Does it?" Hades tilted his head. So many of Persephone's abilities had astounded him in the underworld. Like it had already accepted her as its own. Curiously, he watched Persephone grow a seedling out from the darkness, which grew into a sapling. It's edges layered in shadows, but it was not of the shadows.

"Persephone?" _(ephone- ephone)_ Hades stepped towards her.

The sapling grew bigger. More and more into a strong tree every second.

"I think I know a way around my mother." Persephone announced with a tremendous amount of focus. "I used to read old archaic and outdated laws for fun." The tree's branches reached out to them like fingers. "You know. The old laws, that never got officially thrown out, but no one pays attention to anymore. Like, how women can't drive without a man waving a white flag in front of her."

"Um." _(um-um)_ Hades frowned, not following.

"Well, there's one about you." Persephone reached up and from the branch in front of her plucked its fruit.

"What is that?" _(at-at)_

"This." Persephone tossed a dark red pomegranate into Hades' hands. "This is a loophole."

He stared at it blankly, turning the pomegranate over. "And what exactly do you want me to do with this?" _(this-is)_

Persephone grinned wickedly. "I want you to take a bite. And then I want you to kiss me."

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for reading! If you like this story arc let me know! It helps give me the strength and courage to keep writing it.**

 **xoxo - Goldie**

 **PS: I'm trying out putting the longer stories into their own separate story. It was brought to my attention that navigating through all 17 chapters on mobile is tough when you're looking for a specific story. So I'm trying it out with a new NSFW story I did for LO called "Work From Home" please check it out and let me know what you think of splitting away from this. collection with the longer multiple parters.**


	18. If You Like It Part 4

**AN: Woah, thank you so much to gerberdaisy for blowing up my notifications. Mwah! Mwah! I'm glad you guys are enjoying it!**

 **This has been stewing in my brain noodle for a bit on how best to make this happen. I hope you guys like the results.**

* * *

 **If You Like It**

 **Part 4: Lightening Before Thunder**

* * *

A metal click announced a key sliding in a lock. The door to Persephone's room opened and Demeter stepped through.

"Kore, dear?" She greeted lightly. A sweet nurturing smile on her green face.

Persephone pressed a fist to her lips, swallowing quickly. Then carefully, she yawned and turned towards her mother. "Hey. What time is it?"

"It's the middle of the afternoon." Worry lines creased her mother's forehead.

"Oh." Persephone stretched her fingers out and then eyed her hand curiously. Her whole body felt fuzzy, like white noise on an empty TV channel. She snapped her fingers and sensation bled back into her body.

"How are you feeling?" Demeter knelt down next to her on the floor and felt her daughter's forehead. At first Persephone flinched back, but then let her mother soothe her.

"I'm alright." She muttered and stared at the cracks in the floorboard. Somewhere down below Hades was following the plan. Hades. She breathed, already missing him. Determination rang through her.

She looked back up with a smile on her face. "It sounds crazy, but you know. I-I can't remember how I got here." She scratched her head. "I was. . . I was-" She winced for effect.

"Oh sweetie. I fetched you from school, don't you remember? You sent Hermes to tell me you were home-sick." Demeter stroked Persephone's hair softly. Tenderness in her fingertips; Lies on her tongue.

"Oh." Persephone barely kept herself from rolling her eyes at her mother's concoction. "Oh, yes." She rubbed her forehead again. "I think I do remember that." She said quietly. In her head, she began to make a list of all the lies her mother would have to tell her to keep this up. It might come in handy.

"Momma, why was the door locked?" Persephone veered towards giving away too much, but she couldn't let her mother get away with everything.

"Oh? Did I? Oh, I'm sorry. It's a habit I obtained while you were gone. The flower nymphs kept trying to sneak into your room at night so I - well, I started locking your door. They missed you terribly, you know. All day, they kept pestering me: ' when is Kore coming back, where is Kore? When will Kore come home?' I'd rather them break into your room. Their same line of questioning was torture." Demeter got up to her feet and held out a hand for Persephone.

"They'll be so glad to have you back. I'm actually preparing a little celebration tonight."

"Momma." Persephone bit her lip.

"I know. I know you don't like a crowd, but believe me, it's better if we get this out of the way now or it will be months of 'did you know Kore is back?' and 'why haven't i seen her yet?'" Demeter laughed out the side of her mouth. "Don't worry. If I remember correctly, they're all your friends. Won't it be nice to see them all again? Come on, let me show you what I've got so far." Demeter led her to the foyer with an arm wrapped around her shoulder.

Draped below the banister hung a huge banner, made of potato sack material that read in bright yellow letters, "Welcome Home Kore!" The paint from the letters was still drying, glinting off sunlight.

"Momma." Persephone edged. "That's not my name." Even without the threat of Hades, she needed to draw a line in the sand. Even without Hades, Persephone wasn't the same woman as the little tulip frolicking in the garden. "I'm Persephone." She reminded Demeter.

Demeter deflated. Her lips twitched. "It's not the name I gave you."

"No. It's the name I earned." Persephone responded flatly.

"Well, the nymphs know you by Kore." She reasoned.

"Then they should get to know me again." Persephone reached her hand up towards the banner. The air filled with magic, then poking through the course material, flowers began to bloom in a peculiar pattern. By the time she was finished, she had over written "Kore" with a symphony of dazzling colored violets and peonies to spell out Persephone.

Her mother admired her work and sighed. "You are my daughter, no denying that."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Persephone beamed.

"Persephone." Demeter sounded out every syllable and vowel, over enunciating it until it sounded preposterous. "I never liked that name." Demeter disapproved. "Too sinister. 'Persephone' is a name that sounds like a threat. Like the beat of a war drum. It's not what I envisioned for my ray of sunflower-my dainty daisy." Demeter cooed embarrassingly, wagging a finger at Persephone as if she were a baby.

"Ugh," Persephone exhaled. "Well I like it. It makes people take me more seriously than. . . maiden." Persephone hissed out the term. The glint on the "Welcome Home" paint began to fade as the light from the windows darkened. "Anyone can be a maiden. It has no power behind it."

Demeter huffed and straightened out her robe. "I don't want to argue about this again."

"I don't either." Persephone folded her arms across her chest. The only day Helios stood still. A shiver ran down Demeter's spine.

"That was our first fight." Demeter remembered the day, about a year or two ago.

"It was our last fight." Persephone nodded, thinking of it too. At least, the last fight before my memory was unsuccessfully erased.

The day that, looking back, planted the seed. The day her name changed and altered the course of her life. Veered it away from the one so carefully planned. Neither of them realizing it until now. The reason she became unhappy and unfulfilled. The reason Hera helped her leave the mortal realm. The reason she moved in with Artemis. It all boiled down to that day. When she became known as the destroyer of light.

As if on cue, dark clouds completely overshadowed the sun. Rain began to pour down, bouncing off the tin roof. Loud enough to cover the remaining thoughts of Persephone's name.

"I hope this wasn't going to be an outside party." Persephone turned towards the window, not keeping her smirk hidden very well as fat raindrops plopped like arrows onto the porch.

"Oh, drat." Demeter sighed. "Well. A little rain never hurt anybody. Come on, we LOVE rain." She tried to get Persephone to join her side as she headed for the door, but Persephone didn't sway. "What's the matter with you? It's just a little rain." With two hands she swung open the double doors. Blustering wind slammed the doors back on its hinges, nearly cracking the side windows. Tumultuous rain slanted in sideways, dampening the doormat. In the distance rolling thunder growled from the heavens. Almost animalistic.

Demeter struggled to close the door against the wind.

"Momma." Persephone raised her voice to be heard over the storm. "Momma, I have something to say." Persephone stood bravely, bracing herself against the downpour, paying no mind to the spray of rain kicking up. Demeter tried to close the door back, but struggled against the wind.

"I thought we were really making progress." Persephone's voice raised, but she wasn't yelling. "I thought we were understanding each other."

"What?" Demeter asked.

"I remember everything." Persephone looked up at her mother, completely heartbroken. "Momma, I remember it all."

Demeter let the door swing back, stunned. Her face dragged down into shock and guilt. "No." She whimpered. "No. My sweet child, you have to understand-"

A blinding light speared down to the earth in a chaotic pattern. Fingers of light flashing, turning the scenery in the background into out of focus shadows. Thunder cracked so loudly the house trembled. Somewhere in the kitchen a vase crashed to the floor with the rumble.

Steam rose where the lightning hit and Zeus stepped forward drenched in righteous light.

Zeus marched through Demeter's wide open doors. She glowered at him. "Zeus, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Her words mangled out behind her clenched teeth.

Ignoring her, he walked further in. "Persephone, are you alright?" He walked with determination. His face was cast in a stony strength. Persephone had never seen him carry himself like this. This wasn't the Zeus at the pool part two weeks ago. Or the Zeus that made those rowdy jokes at dinner the other day. He moved like a hammer - the perfect amount of counter balance. This was the Zeus that took down the Titans. This was the god of gods.

"Of course she's fine!" Demeter blocked him. "Why wouldn't she be?"

He caught Persephone's eyes. "Are you okay?" He asked again, even tempered.

Persephone nodded. "Yea, I'm alright."

"You have no right to be here." Demeter interrupted. "You can't just come barreling into someone's house unannounced." Her agitation grew and then spiked to a point. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER!"

Persephone walked with Zeus up the foyer. He guided her towards the door with both hands on her bare shoulders. Though known for his many sordid affairs, his sexual exploits, and infidelity, what the gossip columns and tabloid magazines don't like to see splashed across their front covers was the side of Zeus that protected the innocent, that sheltered the refugee, and stood up for equality. He was many things and not all of it sold papers.

Persephone talked quietly to Zeus as they passed Demeter, who absolutely seeped in rage. "That was much faster than I imagined. I thought I'd have to keep stalling." She muttered quietly.

"News travels fast. Especially when the messenger is your son." He winked at Persephone, setting her at ease.

"You better get your ears cleaned out." Demeter backed up alongside them. "I said get your no good hands off my-"

"Momma, you're embarrassing yourself." Persephone shook her head in disappointment. This gave her no delight. This gave Persephone no satisfaction. This was the hard part. As they neared the door, the sky became clear again. The rain dissipated and the storm subsided. She stopped and turned towards her mother.

"STOP!" Demeter flung herself, blocking the exist. "This is my house, on my land. That is my daughter. You have no authority here, bird boy. And I will not let you take my daughter."

"Persephone?" Zeus asked cooly.

"Yes?"

"Do you wish to exit this house?"

"Yes."

"Very well." He nodded then swiveled to her mother. "Demeter, it seems you are intent on obstructing your daughter from doing so. Yes?" He waited half a second for a reply then continued on. "I thought as much. Demeter, do you wish to add attempted kidnapping to the discussion?" He raised his eyebrow. "It doesn't bode well in your favor. We can squabble back and forth all you'd like. I know it's your favorite pastime, but if you would please, move out of the way."

"Discussion?" Demeter questioned.

Zeus nodded, a flicker of a grin on his face. "After you, old friend." He gestured towards the door.

Demeter hiked up her robe and angrily swung around outside. But her feet didn't land on the worn porch steps. Her damp foot slipped on marble floors.

They arrived inside a dimly lit temple. Torches hung on every column, casting shadows between the warm light that bounced up from the slick marble floors and wall.

Demeter turned back towards Zeus with fire in her eyes, then marched over, taking her place next to the podium.

Zeus huffed, eying his throne at the end. He already felt his back preemptively aching from the lack of lower back support. "Mmm. How about. . ." He snapped his fingers and suddenly they were in a modern conference room.

Thetis swiveled around from her desk and waved at them through the fishbowl glass wall. The other wall faced outside. The windows were shuttered, but an open door led to a hanging veranda. A long marble table set in the middle of the room, with high back chairs surrounding it. A string of smoke piped up from one of the high back chairs. The chair turned slowly, swiveling towards the newcomers. Hades held a cigar and wore an expression like murder.

"Zeus. Demeter." He nodded curtly in greeting, but his eyes were only on Persephone.

Persephone smiled, looking up at him even though he was sitting. And she felt lighter already at just the sight of him. She broke apart from Zeus and skipped towards him. Hades met her in the middle. Throwing his cigar behind him and leaping towards her. They paused a foot apart from each other, painfully aware of their circumstances. Prudently, Hades reached out a single hand, his face twisting up with complex emotions. Persephone nearly grabbed on to him before Demeter moved Persephone out of the way, as if to shield her from him.

"Long time, no see." Hades spoke as civily as he could under the circumstances. Demeter stepped even closer to him. They stood eye to eye. Their hands at their hips. Both of them tried to tower over the other, but doing so unsuccessfully. She never replied, but Demeter said all that she wanted with her eyes.

While they continued their standoff, Zeus took his place at the head of the table and sighed contentedly at the adjusted settings. Stone thrones looked cool, but phew, they did a hellish number on the ole joints.

"Thetis." Zeus zoomed over and tapped on the glass wall. "Can you take the minutes, please?"

His assistant sashayed in, swinging her curly hair over her shoulder. "Sure thing, boss." She sat down at the other end of the table with her tablet in hand.

"Now." Zeus pulled on a pair of horn rimmed glasses. Short-sightedness running in the family. "Let's get right into it, shall we?" He perused over a document in front of him.

"How dare you." Hades muttered darkly. "If you weren't Persephone's own mother, the horrors I would do to you in punishment for what you did-"

Demeter battered her eyelashes unphased. "Hermes." She called. Three seconds later a red boy tumbled in through the veranda.

"Hey guys!" He waved. His sneakers hovered an inch above the ground. "Yo, wassup, homegirl." Hermes fluttered over to Demeter.

"Hermes, can you please deliver a message for me?" She said evenly, smiling up at her favorite package delivery boy.

"Anything for you. But also yes, that is my job." Hermes agreed cheerily.

"Please tell Hades that he can stick his long nose up my ass."

Hermes closed his mouth for the first time in three months then swiveled on his heels. "Hades. I have a message from Demeter. She says you can stick your long nose up her ass." He twiddled his thumbs uncomfortably.

"Thank you, Hermes." He rolled his eyes. "Demeter. What you did was unconscionable. Your daughter is her own person. You can't just lock her away and keep her like she's a set of china. What's wrong with you?"

Demeter licked her teeth. "Hermes, please tell Hades that I'm sorry for thinking that a 2000 year old king maybe, just maybe has better things to do than chase after a young and impressionable 19 year old."

Hermes opened his mouth.

Hades stopped him. "I heard it, Hermes. I'm right here."

Hermes flew finger guns at him. "Still gotta say it. It's the rules."

"No." Zeus shook his head. "No, it quite literally is not." Hermes repeated Demeter's words regardless.

Hades held his head in his hand. "I know that." He sighed. "Demeter, believe me. We're actually on the same page here. I didn't want to chase her because I didn't want her to accept my advances, because if she did I would never know if it was for me, or if she felt obligated. I never wanted her to feel like she had to accept me. I never wanted to put her in that position. Believe me, I tried to turn her away from me. I tried to give her escape routes. I kept waiting for her to run." He relaxed a little back into the chair, seeing that Demeter was thrown off. "I wasn't the one that chased."

Demeter shook her head and finally turned to Persephone. "Is it true?"

She nodded.

"Why?" Demeter asked. "Persephone, you could have a whole field to pick from. Hades is cruel and dark."

"Hermes." Persephone sighed. "Can you please tell my mother that Hades is the kindest soul I've met, the only other intelligent person I've matched with, and he just gets me."

Demeter scoffed. "Is that all it takes? Then I shouldn't be worried, you'll fall in love with the next sally-whos-it that walks through."

Zeus cleared his throat. "I believe, with these transcripts, Demeter said and I quote 'You know what, fuck Poseidon. He'd love that. Fuck Zeus if you must.'" Zeus set down his glasses. "I mean, if that's still on the table, I would like to revisit-"

Hades slapped Zeus across the face. "Fuck off."

"Moving on." Zeus nodded, not taking any offense. "Look, we can go back and forth like this all day. Demeter doesn't want it. Got that. I would like to address something." He switched to a different page in front of him. "Demeter, you gave your daughter a forgetful drug, locked her in her room, and tried to convince her that she wanted to stay home."

Demeter shifted uncomfortably. "Look, that sounds bad."

"It is bad." Persephone crossed her arms across her chest.

"Yes. Yes. I will admit, that was a mistake." Demeter shook her head. "You don't understand. Persephone can't-"

"I can't what?" She leaned across the table. "Think for myself? Momma, you taught me how to think for myself. You taught me how to use my head, think through problems-"

"Then you know that if you continue seeing Hades, you will have severe problems."

"Like what?"

"First of all, you'll be in darkness all day."

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Momma. I like it. It feels quiet and safe there. And it's not always so dark. And even then, I'm just 15 minutes car ride from Olympus."

"You have other duties required on the mortal realm." Demeter countered.

"Momma, I know that's not true. You chose to work on the mortal realm because that was your choice, but no other god has to perform his duties there. Neither do I."

"You're nineteen-"

"And I'm immortal with a good head on my shoulders. What, you want me to wait until I'm. . . 30? Till I'm 100? What age do I have to be for you to think that this is okay?"

Demeter didn't quite know how to answer it. "Well, but-"

Persephone slammed her hand on the table. "Why are you trying to come up with excuses? You know you don't have a good reason for us not to be together."

"Because I wanted him first." Demeter spat out hurriedly, then clamped her hand to her mouth and her eyes widened.

Persephone lowered back into her chair. "Oh."

Hades blinked. "Excuse me?"

Demeter deflected into the chair. "That's not what I meant-"

"Yes it is." Zeus nodded. "You wanted to fuck my brother. Oh my god." A big smile spread on his face. "That's why you always argued with him. Because you don't know how to flirt. You were trying to wrestle but in a sexy way."

"Well. I'm very uncomfortable." Persephone swirled around in her chair. "Love this. This is fun. Totally what I was expecting to find out." She popped up out of the chair and headed for the door. "I'm getting some water."

"There's water on the table." Thetis offered.

"No, thank you." Persephone declined. "I need to dip my whole head under a faucet." She marched out of the room.

"Listen." Demeter tried to take back what she said. "I argued because Hades was a stupid idiot that had really stupid ideas." Sweat pooled on her forehead.

"And you wanted to kiss his stupid face. Oh my gods, and that's why you fought all the time. You were upset that he never approached you." Zeus grinned wickedly. "Ohh drama in the high six."

"Hermes." Hades looked up from his hands. His face was emotionless and careful. "I'll give you one of my cars, if you don't leak this to the press."

"Deal!" Hermes grabbed a pen and paper. "Imma need that in writing though."

Demeter looked at Hades with a reluctant gratefulness as Hades swore Hermes to secrecy.

"I'm not doing this for you." Hades muttered. "I'm doing it for Persephone." He turned to Zeus. "You too, bird boy." He passed the non-disclosure agreement towards his brother.

"I don't care what you think." Hades continued. "I don't care about what you may or may not have felt about me. The only person who has ever tugged on my heart strings is that precious pink woman. Persephone is staying with me."

"Over my dead body." Demeter hissed.

"Ah, back to normal then." Zeus folded his hands across his lap.

"You can't have her." Demeter continued.

"Oh, but I can."

"I won't allow it."

"You'll have to." A wicked grin played at his lips. "She's eaten my fruit."

Demeter pushed back, repulsed. "Is that a gross euphemism the kids say these days?"

Zeus shrugged. Hermes shook his head. "No. No, kids aren't saying that."

Hades pulled out an old scroll, held it up so it fell to the floor. "Here." He pointed. "Section 9, Paragraph 6, Line 3: Whoever eats of the fruits of Hades shall remain in his Kingdom indefinitely."

"That's bullshit." Demeter stood up and slammed her palms on the table. "That's rubbish."

"Let me see that." Zeus reached for the scroll and read through it to himself.

"My fruit is the Pomegranate. Persephone ate one of my pomegranates." Hades shrugged. "So that, settles that. Persephone is leaving with me."

Zeus looked up from the scroll. "I mean. Sure, sure." He giggled. "I did write this into law. . . mmm maybe 1800 years ago. But uh," He shook his head thinking better of it. "Yeah, no, she ate the fruit. So uh, she stays with Hades. That checks." Zeus bit his lip.

"What?" Demeter eyed him curiously.

"Well." He shrugged. "I mean, this was a bit of a joke."

"Hah." Demeter pointed at Hades. "You don't have any kind of claim on my daughter."

"It was more of a joke on Hades being lonely." Zeus tapped his fingers together, guilty. "So, I wrote down that whoever sucked his nuts would have to stay with him."

"Oh my gods." Hades smacked his forehead. "You're a fucking idiot."

"Rules are rules, though." Persephone came back in the room with a cup of water in her hands. "I did eat his fruit. And I have sucked his nuts, so I don't see the problem here."

Zeus held out a hand to high five Hades. When he left him hanging, Zeus turned to Hermes. Hermes flew up in the air and completed the high five over Demeter's head. "Alright, yes." Zeus pumped his fist in the air.

Demeter shook her head, ignoring the last 30 seconds. "No. This is not a viable law."

"Demeter." Hades sighed. "Demeter, old friend."

"Don't." She tensed up. "Don't call me that. You can't talk me into this. No tricks. No gimmicks."

"Agreed. Forget the rules. Forget the drama." Hades stood up. "We were tired of hiding. We were tired of not being able to tell people that we were together. This isn't just a fling. Or a hook-up. Demeter, I love your daughter. And I will watch the world burn, if that means that we can be together." He didn't speak with any malice. But he spoke with a depth that surprised even Persephone. "I do have a claim on your daughter. She has a claim on me. And I've been waiting for the right moment, but there's not going to be one." He turned to Persephone. "I'm sorry for leaving you this morning. I just, I told you I had something important I had to do." He pulled a small black box from his pocket. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes staring off and then roaming over to Persephone, finding the strength. "When I was a child, I made something for my mother. S-s-s-she liked it when I created things." He paused and the room didn't dare interrupt him. No one mentions Rhea without reverence. "When. . . when I was a-a-a-alone, this was all I had with me. It was small, but my mother loved them and that kept me going."

Persephone reached out to him. But when her finger touched his arm he fell to his knee. "The only woman I've ever loved was my mother. And then I met you, Persephone and everything changed." He swallowed. His hand shook as he opened up the box. Inside was a small ring with brightly colored jewels placed around it. "It doesn't look like m-m-much." He breathed lightly. "But it's the most valuable thing I have." He looked up at her, completely unsure of her answer and dreadfully terrified of it. "Persephone, if you'll have me- I want you to have this. If you'll accept me, I want you to wear this as a symbol of my love. So that, no matter where you are, you'll know that I love you." He broke down in tears. "Persephone, will you marry me?"

Slowly, Persephone wiped away a tear on his cheek. "You're crying."

"That's not an answer." Hades sighed, his hand still shaking. "I promise, I promise to be a good king. I promise to be a better husband. If you'll be my queen; If you'll be my wife."

She bent down and kissed his cheek, sweetly. "Yes." She whispered. "Yes." She kissed him again. She sat on his bent leg and wrapped her arm around him and leaned her forehead against hers. "'I'll be your wife, if you'll be my husband."

He kissed her lips, charged with a heightened energy. She said yes. She blushed at his urgency. She wanted more but prudently pulled back. "Can I try it on?"

"Oh! Yes. Yes." Hades shook his head, a weight lifted off his chest and he felt like he was flying. "Here." He pulled the ring out and slid it on Persephone's finger.

"I love it." Persephone admired her hand, the sparkling gems reflected Hades angles back up at her.

"You do?"

"I do. I really do." Persephone beamed a smile that stretched across her whole face.

Hades pulled her up into another kiss and stood up, swinging her around.

Demeter watched them with a blank expression on her face. She turned towards Zeus who pulled out a pocket square, and wiped something out of his eye. "Dusty in here." He muttered. His thoughts led to his mother too. His thoughts also led to his own wife.

"I'll leave now." Demeter bowed her head. "I'm going home. I know when the match is up." A cold air blew with her words. "Tell her, she's made her choice. Tell her not to come back." Demeter walked towards the veranda, turned into a crow and flew far away. A chill followed after her.

* * *

 **AN: If you liked this chapter let me know in a review. I thrive on feedback. Thank you so much for everyone who has stuck with me on this journey.**

 **xoxo Goldie  
ps. If you haven't already, I'm trying out putting longer form stories like this as a separate story. I have another LO rated M fic that is up: "Work From Home" Give it a looksy if you don't mind. **


	19. Soup

**Based off the character's from Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe.**

 **AN: I had actually written a few more little one shots while I was working on "If You Like It" but I didn't want to post them until I had that finished.**

* * *

Soup

* * *

A low growl echoed through her arms. Where her head rested, something moved, throwing off the distribution of weight. A tight pull on the fabric. A launch. The growl now echoed around her, pulling her back from her bleary eyed slumber and grounding her in the here and now. Persephone blinked awake with swollen eyes, peering sideways over her folded arms. Her arms rested on a firm mattress as she crumpled over from an awkward position in a chair. She blinked again. These weren't her bedsheets and this wasn't her bed. She straightened out, her neck pinging with the odd angle she slept in. Her hand felt fuzzy but as she drew it in, his hand gripped on to her tighter, not letting her go. He held her hand to his chest and it rose with his disturbed breathing.

Hades. Her heart caught in her throat.

Now she remembered. The images flooding back to her: Knocking on his door, with a care package under her arm.

"Hi." Persephone greeted on his doorstep. "I just came by to see how you were. . ." Hades partially collapsed in the doorway. "Doing." Persephone finished lamely while propping him up against the door.

"You shouldn't have come." He murmured, his eyelids kept closing and then fluttering open moments later. "I'm fine."

"Yep. You're right as rain." Persephone moved him to a rolling chair.

"You'll get-" He coughed into his arm and groaned at the scratch in his throat. "I might be contagious." He poked her hand on his shoulder, imagining that he was being very forceful and commanding.

"I thought you were fine?" She teased him.

"I am." Hades nodded, but the movement caused his headache to spike. "See. I came into the kitchen all by myself." He argued while nestling further into the chair Persephone was rolling him through his house by.

"Yes, you're very self sufficient. King of the Underworld, walking into his own kitchen. Who would have thought." Persephone rolled her eyes. "Now, where are your glasses?"

"On my head." He tried to point to his eyes, but misjudged the distance and jammed his nose in. "Ow." Persephone pulled his hand off his face and set it back in his lap.

"No. No. Like drinking glasses." Persephone started browsing through his kitchen till she found what she wanted. Hades whimpered quietly to himself as she filled up a glass of water.

"Here." She offered him the drink and checked his forehead.

Hades sipped at the water, then fall back against the chair. "I don't want your help." He muttered stubbornly.

"More please." Persephone tilted the glass to his lips. "When was the last time you took medicine?"

He shrugged then pushed the glass away and tried to stand up. "I don't need medicine. I'm fine." Blood rushed to his head and Persephone once more had to guide him back down. A cry of pain walloped out of him involuntarily and Persephone held his head against her chest and let him sniff against her shirt.

"K-Kore." Hades blinked, having a moment of lucidity. "Kore." Something in his tone, caught her off guard.

"I'm here." Persephone reassured him.

"I - I don't feel good." He admitted. "I really don't feel good."

"Oh, honey. I know. I know." She combed his hair back. "Medicine?" Persephone asked again.

"Itsssaaa mmmm it's above the microwave." Hades tried very hard to stay present. _Kore in the Kitchen. Kore in the Kitchen_ , he chanted to himself, keeping him grounded.

She eventually found something that would work and put it in Hades hand.

"I don't like medicine." Hades hissed. "I don't want to take it."

Persephone placed a cool hand against his cheek. "Please?" She asked sweetly. "For me?"

A moment passed. Slowly, Hades popped the few pills into his mouth and reached his hand out for the water.

"Thank you." Persephone sighed in relief. His eyes fluttered open as she pressed a cold washcloth to his forehead. "Come on." She sighed. "Let's get you in bed. Sound good?"

"Mhm." Hades agreed, weakly.

From his perch on his dog bed, Cerberus watched Persephone wheel his owner down the hallway towards the master bedroom. He heard a small thud and a very apologetic "Sorry!" as she accidently ran him into the wall.

She hoisted him up to his full height. His robe came undone, revealing his full naked body, but Persephone didn't even blush as she helped him to the edge of the bed. He timbered onto his back, muttering something under his breath. If he'd been in a better state of mind, he would have been embarrassed. He would have covered himself. Instead, he let Persephone swing his legs up onto the bed too. He kept losing it. He came back for a second, feeling something cold on his chest. "What are you doing?" He murmured.

"It's to help open up your sinuses. Open up your chest, help you breath." Persephone explained, rubbing a special poultice over his muscles.

"You ever seen a naked king before?" Hades asked out of the side of his mouth. "Here it is." His hand waved pathetically by his side. "All its glory."

"Even a king can get sick." Persephone commented diplomatically. Though with one hand she pulled up the covers and tucked him in, a blush rising to her cheeks now. Her other hand continued rubbing in the poultice.

"That feels nice." He sighed and slipped back under his sick fog. Hades coughed in agony. His face scrunching up, agitated. It hurt her to see him like this. And yet. The vulnerability. . . was kind of nice. The power dynamic shifted. There wasn't king and minor goddess. . . or boss and intern. It was the sick and the caretaker.

She shook her head _-what was she thinking-_ and got up to change out the washcloth.

In a panic, Hades eyes fluttered open and his hand gripped her arm. "Kore?" He looked up at her, alarmed and completely vulnerable. Worry lines etched into his face.

"I'm here." She stated again comfortingly.

"Kore." Hades took in a deep breath and settled back against the pillow. "Kore." He patted her arm, releasing his grip. "Kore." He hummed to himself, his eyes dropping forward once again. After she thought he was asleep again Hades muttered a soft, "Stay. Please." He begged.

She did stay. After that she stayed up all night and watched over him as he tossed and turned. She must have fallen asleep at his side.

Cerberus continued to growl. Persephone blinked again. _Right_. Cerberus woke her up. Persephone glanced over at two shadows in the doorway.

"Oh." She gasped and wiped something away on her face. "Cerberus, stand down." She commanded. "It's alright." Cerberus looked back at Persephone, and with her word, trotted back to the bed, allowing Hestia and Zeus to come in.

Hades stirred in front of her. His body twisted and a low pathetic moan on his lips whined out. "Sh-sh-sh-sh." Persephone turned her back on the new arrivals and soothed him with a stroke of her hand. It didn't matter who walked in that door; Hades took priority.

With an assertive grace, Persephone checked the wash cloth on Hades forehead, peeling it back and feeling his temperature.

She sighed in relief.

"Persephone, dear, what are you doing here?" Hestia asked first. Zeus looked inquisitively at Cerberus, curious and taken aback.

"I um." Persephone scratched the back of her head. "Same as you, I suppose." She stood up from her chair at his bedside, careful not to bump into his nightstand. A cold cup of tea, a humidifier, a nearly empty box of kleenex, and a large bottle of powerade cluttered the table.

Her right hand still clung to his chest.

"Have you been here all night?" Hestia asked. She stepped towards her but then Cerberus started growling again.

"All night?" Persephone blinked and looked out the window at the dark starless underworld. "Oh." She shook her head. Time couldn't be counted by the weather outside here. She gently removed her hand from Hades and moved the box of Kleenex on the table. His alarm clock read "8:12am."

"Yesh." Persephone stretched her limbs out. That's why she was so sore. She'd been sitting in that god awful position for at least three hours. She rubbed her puffy eyes and yawned.

Zeus appraised her carefully. This wasn't what he was expecting. A warm glow filled him up when he saw Persephone sitting next to his ill brother. A wholesome feeling that he didn't know quite how to handle. Hera was going to die when he told her.

"I came over last night to check on him after school." Persephone explained. "I knew he was getting sick the day before yesterday. I told him he needed to rest but he's so stubborn." She pulled the covers up and patted them gently while she spoke. "He-he was in a bad way last night. His fever was breaking." She winced remembering his condition. The sweat on his forehead. The constant change of body temperature, hot and cold, back and forth. The way he clung to her, begged her not to go. There wasn't anything she could do but watch him sweat it out. "I couldn't leave him like that." She shook her head and took in a steadying breath. "But he's much better now. I gave him a draught to put him to sleep. Judging by his body mass, he should be out for a few more hours." She turned to look at the stunned faces of his family.

Hestia smiled proudly, seeing herself in Persephone, and held out the bundle she carried in. "I brought my famous homemade chicken noodle soup. If it doesn't do the trick, nothing will."

"Oh that's so thoughtful." Persephone said graciously. Nothing cures an ailment like Hestia's chicken noodle soup. She brought it for her when she had the pixie pox. "Here, let me take this to the kitchen. No no. I don't mind. I need to change out his washcloth anyway. And I need to get out of this room." She felt sticky and warm.

But Hestia refused. "You've stayed up all night."

"Really, Hestia I don't mind." She took the soup from the goddess of the hearth. "I'll give you guys a moment." She looked back at Hades, who drowsily snoozed away. His frazzled hair pushed back with drying sweat, his mouth hung open because his nose was stopped up. She grinned. _He's kind of cute when he's pathetic._ "He's all yours." She stepped towards the hallway.

Cerberus growled at the two of them.

"Cerberus. Come on. Leave them alone."

He whined looking at his master, laying vulnerable and exposed. "Cerberus." Persephone called him. He obeyed and plopped off the bed to her side.

She made her way to the kitchen. A journey she made over a dozen times through the night and at this point it felt nearly automatic. He stopped throwing up early on, which made it easier the rest of the night.

She opened up his large fridge and set Hestia's soup on an empty shelf. Whenever he woke up, she could heat it up for him. She tilted her head and hummed, taking note of the items he seemed to be lacking for a fully operating home kitchen. When she closed the door Zeus was leaning against the cabinets, watching her closely.

"Hey." Persephone greeted. "It was nice of you to come by."

Zeus held his hands up. "Oh no. Don't get the wrong idea." He excused himself of any form of familial attachment. "Hestia is the nurturing thoughtful one. I'm here on a practicality." He sat up on Hades kitchen counter and tapped the espresso machine.

"Practicality?" Persephone asked while turning on the sink and rinsing off the washcloth in her hand. Cerberus watched her movements curiously.

"Yes, well. I have to make sure the whole kingdom doesn't combust. It's not often that Hades has to take a sick day, but the ramifications of his absence might leak out into the other kingdoms and oof," He waved his hand. "It could turn into a real mess."

"Oh. So are you gonna help oversee operations for awhile?" She wrung out the cloth. She tried to imagine Zeus taking control of the underworld in the interim and quickly decided she didn't like it.

"Nope." Zeus shook his head. A clever smile spread across his face. "You are."

"Wh-what?" Persephone gasped, her knees buckled and she had to hold onto the counter top. "What do you mean, me? I'm- I'm just an intern."

"I'm appointing you as officer in charge until Hades gets better." Zeus said simply, enjoying the moment immensely.

"But, this is Hades kingdom. I mean, shouldn't he-"

"He could make the call if he wanted to, but one: he's in no state to make that call and two: As I oversee all gods and godly operations. . ." Zeus hopped off the counter. "By the power vested in me, Zeus, King of the Gods, I grant you, Persephone, interim control over the Underworld. There. That's that." Zeus was so relieved. This arrangement was like killing two birds with one stone.

Persephone squeezed the wash cloth. Her head running a mile a minute. "Why me?"

Zeus clapped his hands together, a job well done. "You should probably get used to it." He took the washcloth from her open hands and glided back down towards Hades' bedroom. "Don't worry about Hades. We'll take care of him from here. You've got work to do." He winked at Persephone. "Good luck."

Persephone had a million questions to ask. Her heart raced. Her mind ran rampant. In charge. She was in charge.

Cerberus licked her hand and whined. She looked down at him and gulped. "I'm not a coffee drinker." She admitted. "But I'm gonna need some coffee."

* * *

 **AN: An alternative ending to this would be Hades and Persephone huddled under the same blanket and sharing a box of kleenex cuz he got her sick.**

 **Let me know what you think! Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	20. Coloring Outside the Lines

Based of Lore Olympus characters.

 **AN: Another one I had written while working on "If You Like It" and "Work From Home." Specifically work from home, because after writing so much smut I had to cleanse myself with a cute innocent one shot.**

 **Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Coloring Outside the Lines

* * *

Hermes slid over the roof of the car, popping up on his heels, and opened the passenger side door.

"Thank you." Persephone stepped out carefully with her inside foot first, as she was taught by the PR specialist since her first bite of scandal. The last thing she needed right now was paparazzi trying to get a go up her long white skirt. It had a scooping slit up the front that ended just under her hip. Underneath that, a smaller fitted skirt in a light pastel green came midway down her thigh. She took Hermes' hand and he lifted her up. "Never was someone such a gentleman and also doing _the mos_ t at the same time."

"Thanks!" Hermes beamed down at her. "I should make that my bio for Facescroll."

"Did you grab the gift?"

"Oh shoot. Almost forgot." Hermes double backed to the back seat of his car and scrambled around. When he returned he had a small package under his arm. "Did you bring one?"

"Yes and no." Persephone shrugged.

"Well, that's cryptic." Hermes said while they walked forward. Cameras flashed as they began to climb up the stairs. He placed his hand on the low of her back, just in the space between her cropped top and her skirt. Persephone flicked him away from her bare midriff.

"What?" Hermes grinned mischievously.

"I'm your date for tonight, not your lover." Persephone rolled her eyes.

"What's the difference between friends and uh, friendlier." Hermes shrugged.

Persephone yanked his hand to the appropriate height. "Two inches." She warned.

"Fair enough." Hermes nodded.

Hebe sipped on her juice out of a wine glass. Hera stood next to Amphitrite at the head of the ballroom and folded over towards her daughter. "Why don't you go play with Rhode? Huh? It is her birthday party."

"Mom. Rhode is a child." Hebe explained while she swirled her juice. "I don't play with children." She rose her nose in the air pompously.

"You're eight years old." Hera poked her forehead.

"Well, Rhode is 5." Hebe countered as if three years gap was too tremendous. "She's actually not even 5 yet. We're just celebrating it a few days early."

"There's no one else here for her to play with." Hera leaned back and crossed her arms.

Poseidon poked his head out the kitchen with another cupcake in his hand and two beers in the other. "S'alright, bunny. You don't have to play with her, it's alright." Poseidon excused his niece. "Rhode is kind of bashful tonight anyway." He nodded to the small unsure girl in a green tulle princess gown, hiding on the other side of her mother's chair. He passed one of the beers to Minthe. "Thank gods, I am entirely way too sober for this party."

"This is a child's birthday party." Hades sighed.

"Exactly." Minthe downed the beer.

"You're the one that decided we needed to come." He crossed his arms. "You didn't have to be here."

Minthe sipped on the remaining drops. After the last party, she wasn't going to try her stupid test again. They'd go to every party if that meant he went home with her. If that meant she kept her apartment.

Hades leaned against one of the columns. "You don't even like kids."

Minthe shrugged and then eyed the incoming guests and groaned. "Fuckin' hell."

Hermes and Persephone strode in, making a beeline towards their end of the room. Hermes graciously took smaller steps but Persephone still had to walk double time to match his pace. Still they made quite the impression. Hermes wore a hoodie under a suit jacket; converse poked out of the bottom of black slacks. His hair had just enough lift to bounce alongside, and Persephone's bob swung gently, blowing back with their movement.

Hades focused in on her hand in Hermes' arm. A weird feeling he thought might be indigestion pulled on his chest. Minthe leaned her head against his chest, territorially. But Persephone and Hermes didn't even look their way.

Hermes dropped off his gift at the table. "Hey guys!" He bounded forward and kissed Amphitrite's hand. "Always a pleasure." He winked and then shook Poseidon's hand. Bending over at his hip, he waved at Rhode. "Hey birthday girl." She squeezed herself further onto the chair out of sight at being called out.

He saluted Hades and nodded at Zeus then swiveled around towards the dance floor. Hermes held his hand out for Persephone but she was eyeing the soon to be five year old.

"You promised me a dance?" Hermes bumped into her side.

"Yes." Persephone bit her lip, an idea on her mind. "Give me a minute. I'll meet you out there."

"More dancing for me then." Hermes argued for himself and dashed off.

Persephone didn't offer any greetings beside a nod of the head and a knowing smile. She whisked over to the gift table and selected a marker from an already opened gift box. She swirled her long flowing skirt out and tiptoed to the side, as smoothly as a ballerina. The skirt waved in the wind and as she kneeled down on the floor, the white fabric fanned out in front of her.

Rhode poked her head out from her mother's chair, wanting to see what all the movement was. She then saw Persephone uncapping her marker. She didn't really understand what was going on. She stepped closer to watch.

With her white skirt spread across the floor, Persephone picked out a zone and laid it flat with her hand and began to draw.

"Hey. That's mine." Rhode complained instinctively. "That's my present."

Persephone looked up with wide surprised eyes. "Oh this?" She twirled the marker in her hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. No one was using it, you see. Do you mind if I borrow it?"

Rhode wasn't sure how to answer. The way grownups phrased it always tripped her up.

"You have other markers." Persephone argued quietly. "I just need the one."

Rhode looked at her mom for guidance.

"It's alright. You can share."

"Okay, fine." Rhode muttered. She huddled over to her other markers and grabbed them up protectively. "But just the one."

"Sounds like a deal." Persephone nodded and continued drawing on her skirt.

Rhode eyed her curiously over her precious markers. She could barely hold them all in her hands, but she'd be damned if she didn't keep all of them in her grasp.

"Hey, you can't do that." Rhode got even closer this time. "You can't draw on that."

Persephone smiled, as she started another doodle. "True." She nodded. "Most clothes, you can't draw on, that's very true. You're very smart. But I never liked to color inside the lines."

"You'll get in trouble." Rhode tiptoed closer.

"You see." Persephone explained. "This is a special skirt. It's supposed to be drawn on. But only this one."

"Oh." Rhode nodded. Of course. A drawing skirt. She rationalized it in her child head. She got to the edge of the white fabric and peered over her lap to see what she was doodling. "What are you drawing?"

"Butterflies." Persephone answered cooly. "They're my favorite. What do you like to draw?"

"Seahorses." Rhode answered. "And dolphins."

Persephone perked up. "Oh. Those are awesome. I wish I could draw those." She continued on her butterfly. "I wish I knew how."

Rhode got on her knees and wiggled closer. "I can draw them."

"Really?" Persephone smiled. "That's cool. Do you think you can show me how?"

Rhode sat back on her bottom and thought.

"You can use this marker if you want." Persephone bribed, flipping her marker over.

"Okay." Rhode accepted these conditions. She dropped her other markers and grabbed the one in Persephone's hand. "So, I like to draw a question mark first for the seahorse like this." Rhode began to explain her art, doodling on her skirt in short uneven lines. "And then I do a dot for the eye like this."

"Oh, that's a good technique." Persephone admired. "Would you help me draw some butterflies?"

Around the corner, Hebe hopped off her chair and set her wine glass down. She turned around as if not interested, then leaned back to see what Persephone and Rhode were doing. She leaned back so far, she almost fell and had to catch herself.

As if nothing had happened, she stormed up to them. "What are you doing? This is a party. You can't sit on the floor at a party." _Kids these days._

Rhode and Persephone looked up from their doodles.

"We're drawing butterflies." Rhode answered first, assertively. "Persephone has a drawing skirt and she needs it to be colored in with butterflies." She grabbed another colored marker. "I'm working on a green one. I already did a purple one. You can do a yellow one if you want." Rhode offered a marker up to Hebe.

Persephone leaned back enjoying this conversation.

Hebe rolled her right ankle around. "This is silly." She stated.

"Very silly." Persephone agreed. "Would you like to join us?"

Hera watched her young daughter crawl on the floor with a marker in her hand. Hebe's legs swung up behind her as she doodled a bushel of butterflies on her section of skirt. She giggled at something out of earshot. Persephone's laughter joining in. Rhode rolled on the floor. For someone who was to embody youth, Hera had never seen her child actual enjoy childhood.

Hades watched with a wistfulness he didn't quite understand. Innocence, pure and simple joys. Something he hadn't seen in 20 lifetimes. He wasn't alone.

Minthe took a deep breath and turned away. "Let's get out of here." Her voice lacked any kind of sourness. She pulled on his tie, but he didn't budge.

"Okay." Persephone spread her arms out. "This looks amazing. I think that's enough."

"Wait, I'm not finished." Hebe put a hand on Persephone's arm.

"Okay. Take your time." Persephone waited patiently.

Rhode got back on her knees and then stood up to admire her work. Every marker was used. Not all the doodles resembled butterflies, but from farway it didn't matter. It was all just wild marks on her skirt in every color.

"There." Hebe patted her art. "Finished."

"Beautiful." Persephone crossed her legs and stood on her knees. "Now. I'll need help with the next part too. It's been a very long time, and I've forgotten how to spin."

"How did you forget how to spin?" Hebe raised her eyebrow. "You just go like this." She spun switching back and forth on her feet. Persephone caught her as she waddled sideways with dizziness.

"Like this! Like this!" Rhode hopped energetically. She spun until she fell down.

"Oh. I see. I think I got it." Persephone took note. "So, like this?" Persephone turned on her left foot, bringing her right in at an angle. She held her arms out like a ballerina and spun on her tip toe.

Rhode gasped. Catching the wind as she spun, the skirt fluttered through the air. "Woah." Hebe grinned. Four dozen butterflies of all shapes and sizes surrounded Persephone, flapping in a circle, orbiting around her skit and then flying upwards. A full rainbow of butterflies, orange ones and blue. Purple and red wings flapping in tandem.

Rhode pumped her fists up in the air and a peel of laughter followed.

Persephone finished her spin with her arms pointing to one side gracefully. She looked up to see Hades nearly passing out in the corner.

She blushed and turned back to the girls. "What do you think?"

Rhode skipped towards the butterflies and tried to catch one. Persephone held out her finger and a green one fluttered to her.

"Woah." Rhode reached up with grabby fingers. "I want- I wanna hold one."

"Okay, but you have to be gentle. Small creatures need extra tenderness." Persephone warned softly. "So, you have to show me your gentle hand first before I let one land on you."

Rhode held out her hand. "Like this?"

"Okay, good." Persephone slowly moved her hand over. "Now, you can't touch it. These creatures don't want to be touched. They're very fragile. It's just going to land on you."

"Okay." Rhode nodded.

Persephone smiled and touched her finger to the birthday girls. It fluttered to her finger. Rhode laughed. "Momma!" She looked over to Amphitrite. "Momma, look! Look!"

Hebe pulled on Persephone's skirt. "Can I hold one, please?" She asked politely.

"Hold out your hand. There we go."

Hebe broke out in a huge grin as a large yellow butterfly landed on her finger.

Persephone stood back up to her full height and watched the girls buzzing carefully with excitement.

"You're so good with them." Amphitrite called to Persephone. Persephone made her way over to her.

"Yeah. Well." Persephone shrugged nonchalantly. "It's nothing."

"I bet you'll want a bushel of your own one day, then." Amphitrite presumed.

"A bushel of what?"

"Children."

Persephone blinked and swallowed something down her throat. "Oh." Her breath came out shallow. "I-I." She took a step back. "Well. I don't-" She began to shake her head. "I never thought about it, but I can't, um, I can't have children." Persephone finally admitted hurriedly. She cast her eyes down. "Ex-excuse me. I promised someone a dance."

As she turned to flee, she caught Hera looking at her with concern. That was it. Suddenly, it all made sense. Persephone wasn't in a funk; Persephone wanted a family.

"Persephone." Hera called out to her. "Persephone wait."

But the Goddess of Spring balled her hands into fists at her side and disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor. A lingering trail of butterflies fluttered behind her.

"Is she alright?" Hades asked at Hera's side.

Hera huffed a big sigh, trying to keep a tear from leaking down her cheek. "Small creatures need extra tenderness."

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	21. The Photos

**AN: I wanted to address "The Photos" and have Persephone flip the situation on its head as she, the destroyer of light, is known to do.**

* * *

The Photos

Trigger Warning: sexual harassment themes

* * *

Persephone finished the final touches of her new laptop she built herself from scratch. It didn't take as long as she imagined. She had deconstructed Hades laptop while he was on lunch one day and put it back together. Once she had her own parts, putting the pieces together felt like a familiar maze. She set down the tiny jewelers screwdriver and admired her work.

"All right." She whispered. "Let's boot this baby up."

She pressed the on button. The battery she attached to it was already charged. It came to life, back lights highlighting her fingertips on the keyboard.

"Hey." Artemis knocked on her bedroom door. "I'm getting take out. What do you want? Uuuuuh. What's going on in here?" She eyed the microchips, wires, small metal pieces and screws. "Building tiny torture devices?" She guessed.

Persephone nodded. "Kind of." She held up her laptop.

"Holy shit. You built that? Damn, sis." Artemis looked it over.

"It has twice as much ram as the ones on the market. Battery life is exactly what I need for school. AND it's pink." She wiggled in her chair quite pleased with herself. She got what she wanted, a laptop, without help, and without compromising her work ethic, her needs, or her aesthetics.

Artemis noticed that the phone she had given her was part of the material debris scattered to pieces. Broken parts. Massacred.

"Oh, did you use parts of the phone building it?" Artemis asked a little miffed. So that's why she hadn't been able to get a hold of her. The phone wasn't much, but she needed a way to keep an eye on the very slippery pink goddess.

"Um." Persephone followed her eyes. "Yes?" She lied. Truthfully, she had just destroyed it after the last few texts from Artemis's brother.

They'd been escalating. He'd been following her. Cornering her. She'd always found an escape. But knew that she couldn't count on exit strategies forever. Defense would only hold for so long. She would have to change up her strategy.

No matter how many times she ignored him. No matter how many times she shrugged him off. He always came back, Bolder than before.

"Well. I'm gonna get logged into all my stuff and make sure my sign ins work." She tapped the screen gently. "I haven't been able to do school assignments on my own. I've had to sneak it in at work or do it at the library. It'll be nice to do it here."

"Okay. I'll leave you to it." Artemis pushed herself off Persephone's bed then turned and asked, "Is chow mein okay?"

She nodded. "And pork dumplings!"

When the door was closed Persephone pulled up her email, signing in to both her school and work addresses, consolidating it to one inbox. She browsed through the college campus events, archiving as she went. The emails in her work account were all updates to her schedule. Then she noticed an email sent to both accounts from an unknown address. It was sent multiple times, flooding her inbox within a two hour time span.

The subject read: " _Quit Hades or These Go Viral."_

She gasped as she opened the attachment and quickly shut her computer. No. No. No. no. NO!

Artemis was right. She had built a tiny torture device.

* * *

"You're being kind of quiet." Artemis noticed over a mouthful of noodles. She slurped them up and then asked, "So what's up?" She poked her chopstick at Persephone who didn't even blink. "Hellooooo, earth to Persephone?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Persephone shook her head. "Sorry. I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

Persephone went silent again. After a moment she finally said, "Can I ask a question?"

"Aim and fire." Artemis grinned.

Persephone thought about it some more. "Nevermind." She shook her head.

"Hey, no. What's up?" Artemis slipped out of her chair and came over to Persephone. "Something's wrong?"

"I'm afraid." She sighed, closing her eyes and leaning back against the chair.

"Afraid of what?" Artemis asked, concern showing in her eyebrows.

Her lips trembled, wanting to shape into a word, but instead Persephone got up from the table. "Afraid that I've lost my appetite. I have a lot of work to do. And I better get started."

"Persephone wait." Artemis called after her. "Hey!"

She ignored her roommate and slammed the bedroom door shut.

"Wait a second. Persephone, what's going on?" The goddess of the hunt leaned against the door. "Don't make me bust in there. I don't like this."

A heavy handed fist came banging through, but Persephone swung the door open and Artemis nearly fell forward through the air.

"I'm sorry, Artemis." Persephone apologized. "I don't mean to be a drama queen, but there's something I have to handle and I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh." Artemis blinked. "You sure? I. . .I might be able to help."

Persephone shook her head. "No. I. . . I'll manage. I need to face this on my own. I can't have everyone fighting my battles."

Artemis studied her face for a long time. "Okay. If you need me, please, please call me or. . . I guess email me." She realized Persephone once again, didn't have a phone. "I'm about to head out for work."

Persephone nodded silently, not letting her know that she was counting on it.

Before Artemis left, Persephone lunged forward and pulled her into a hug. Artemis could feel her shaking.

"I wish you could tell me what was going on." Artemis crushed her head into Persephone's shoulder, squeezing her tighter.

"Me too." Persephone exhaled. "Me too."

* * *

The next day when Persephone exited her room, Artemis was waiting for her in the hall. Her hair twisted up into a wet bun, just coming out of the shower.

"Good morning." Persephone smiled calmly. "How was work?"

"Persephone." Artemis breathed and fidgeted with the strings of her hoodie.

"Yes?"

"Persephone." A tear fell from her eye. "I've been such . . . a terrible friend."

"What?" Persephone tilted her head. "What are you talking about."

"I'm sorry, buttercup. Hecate called me. It's. . . it's everywhere. I wanted to be the first person. I wanted to. . .be the one that told you. Instead of you finding out the hard way." Artemis pulled out her phone and winced, raising it to Persephone's eye level.

On the screen was a blurry photo of Persephone's bare midriff contrasted against dark bed sheets.

"Someone. . . someone leaked this online." Artemis informed her.

"I know." Persephone nodded slowly.

"Whoever this creep is." Artemis hissed. Her phone cracked in her hand, scarring Persephone's digitally naked form. "I'm gonna find them. I'm gonna rip out their throat. Who would do this?"

"I did." Persephone laughed. For the first time in what felt like too long. A light hearted bubble escaped from her chest.

"What?" Artemis furrowed her eyebrows.

"I leaked it." She shrugged and leaned against the hallway too. Her lips curving up in satisfaction.

"Why-why?"

Persephone grabbed Artemis's phone and pulled up insta scroll, finding her own account and selecting her most recent picture.

"Persephone!" Artemis screeched in shock looking over the picture of her young roommate completely naked in a field of flowers. Her head turned towards her outreached hand. In her palm rested a gardenia flower. She knelt beside sunflowers and daisies, their petals kissing her skin. An unburdened smile on her face, her eyes closed in calm meditation. This photo was beautiful and vulnerable, bold and gentle. She was art, wild and pure. A masterpiece.

"Read the description." Persephone tapped the phone.

" _It has come to my attention that a compromising photo of me has been leaked out onto the masses. It's not a good photo. Here, have a better one._

 _This is my skin. These are my stretch marks. These are my curves, and my flaws. This is my body. And I will not let someone use it against me. I will not be ashamed of it._

 _That other photo was taken against my will. It's blurry and unfocused. They wanted a ransom to keep it hidden from the world, but instead I'll show you the best of me. I am not afraid."_

Artemis looked up after absorbing it all. "I-I don't understand. You just said you leaked the other photo."

"I did." Persephone grinned. "Before _he_ could. He threatened to publish, so I called the tabloids first. I made the deal. If there was going to be money made off of it, then that was going to be my gain. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. This way, I stripped him of everything he had over me. He has no power now. I stole what he took from me and made it useless. I called it what it was and now he can't testify against my word. And I did it all without mudslinging. Without name calling."

Artemis gripped the phone so tight in her hand it shattered completely. "Give him a name." She hissed.

Persephone drew in a long breath then looked up through her eyelashes. "You already know it."

* * *

 **AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	22. Dear Hades

Dear Hades,

I've been trying to catch you over the last few days. You always had somewhere else to be. (I couldn't even schedule a meeting with you. I hope whatever it is you're working on, gets the results you want.)I would have preferred to talk to you in person but maybe it's better this way.

First off, I want to say thank you. Thank you for giving me a chance. I know you didn't want me here. I had to fight for it. I didn't know why at the time, but I think I do now. Hopefully you see from my metrics, that I've done a damn good job. I'm very proud of what I've been able to accomplish. Even if it isn't up to your standards, thank you for at least patronizing the idea that I could work here.

Secondly, I'm sorry. I didn't realize things would be I know I'm a lot. I'm sorry if I've done something to upset you. I can't think of anything except for all the trouble I caused early on. If there's something I'm doing wrong or something I've done that angered you, please let me know. I've felt like a thorn in your side and I'm sorry.

I never should have come to work here. I see that now. I was once again, the pawn in someone else's game. You gave me a way out and I should have accepted it gracefully. Maybe then we could have still been friends. I could really use one right now.

I won't be back after today. That's why I was trying so hard to say goodbye in person. I just wanted to hug I'm going back home. It's a long story and I'm sure you don't care about any of this, as you've made abundantly clear. I don't understand

I'm not sure if I'll ever see you again.

I lost my train of thought. I have to leave in a few minutes and I just keep typing because when I'm done writing this letter that means I have to go. I don't want to. But the idea that maybe when we're not working together anymore, maybe we can be friends again, that makes this more bearable. Even if it's just a myth. Why would you want to be my friend? Obviously you don't, but thank you for putting up with me while I've been in your kingdom. You're not what everyone else thinks you are. I wish they could see what I do in you.

I think I should end this letter now before I say too much.

Good bye, Hades.

Please remember me.

Please.

Yours,

Persephone

PS- It's a good thing I didn't tell you in person because I couldn't even write this without crying.

PPS- Tell Cerberus I'll miss him. Give him a good bully rub from me.


	23. Dear Hades: Postscript

**AN: I was feeling a type of way when I wrote Dear Hades. Later on I wrote this. It's massively self indulgent.**

* * *

Dear Hades

Don't Say Goodbye

* * *

Hades packed up his briefcase. Anally making sure the edges were all in a straight line, the straps secured around his laptop snugly, and that everything was in order. It had been an exhausting day emotionally. With each and every time he slipped out of the room or made excuses to leave her company, he saw her heart break a little bit. It was worse today. Obviously, something was wrong. He pondered for a minute if he had been too harsh. Perhaps she needed. . . no. He settled back down. What could he offer her?

Eventually, she would stop asking. Eventually he wouldn't have to see the heartbreak because she wouldn't face him anymore. Eventually, she would learn not to look up at him. He felt a crack in his chest.

 _What am I doing?_

No. It wouldn't last. His resolve couldn't stomach it any longer. With every heartbreak he saw, his strength to stay away from her cracked as well. She was the only person that had treated him with kindness. . . what kind of a fucking masochistic moron was he to twist her until she behaved like every-fucking-body else. The first person to make him feel normal and he turned his back on it. FUCK. Hades dug his hands into his hair. He thought he was protecting her. Protecting her from him. From the monster inside of him.

He wasn't protecting her. He was becoming the monster he feared.

Hades snapped his briefcase closed and slung on his coat. Tomorrow, he would talk to her. Not as her boss. Not as King of the Underworld. But as the person who. . . who. . .

A letter fell out of his coat pocket as he whisked it around his shoulders. Mechanically, he picked it up without even looking at it. He was about to stuff it back into the pocket when he smelled honeysuckle coming off the envelope. He paused, recognizing the handwriting immediately. The only handwriting he ever cared to think about.

"Dear Hades,

I've been trying to catch you over the last few days. . ."

No. Hades gasped and fell to his knees. No.

No.

No.

NO.

" _I won't be back. . ."_

 _No._

" _I'm not sure if I'll ever see you again."_

 _No._

 _No._

 _No._

" _Goodbye, Hades."_

 _No. NO._

"NO!" He slapped himself. "GET UP YOU FAT LOAF!" He screamed, willing his body to move from the floor. The letter crumbled in his fist as he pushed off, hovering in the air.

"Persephone!" He flew out of his office window. The shards stuck into him bitterly but he couldn't feel it. "KORE!" He called. His voice echoed back to him, reverberations of the one thing he was too scared to lose. He'd lost everything before. He'd lose it all again over and over forever if it meant he got to still have her. . .in some way. . . in ANYWAY back in his life. It didn't matter. But he couldn't bear to lose her. She was, he finally realized, a candle in his dark world. And he couldn't part from her light.

Not even that.

No.

Selfish. He slapped himself again, still eying for a flash of pink in the dark blue hues of his kingdom.

" _Maybe then we could have been friends. I could really use one right now."_

"KORE!" He yelled again. His heart thumping loudly. She trusted him and he turned his back on her. She trusted him and he crushed her spirit. Everything he did, Hades realized, hurt her. Everything.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw it. Something pink flowed for an instant on the roof. He swirled up and landed softly. She had been so excited to see the snow that first day. The snowflakes, he never noticed anymore, but to her they were magical and exciting. The look in her eyes as she caught a perfect snowflake on her nose. . . he would transfer all his wealth to see it, just one more time. "Kore?" He called softly. Soft petals lifted into the air with the harsh wind.

He bent down, finding the pink flag that waved him over. Her scarf. He held it in his hands like a dead body, cradling it with so much emotion he didn't know how he still existed inside a body anymore.

* * *

Persephone waited patiently at the train station. She normally stood close to the tracks, but today she leaned up against the grimy walls, hoping that somehow she could meld into the tiles. Her normal train had already left. The one bound for Olympus. But she wasn't going back there.

"Mortal Realm Access arriving. Please stand back." A disembodied voice announced over the speakers.

She tried not to think about him as she stepped subdued into car. She tried not to think about him when she sat down in one of the benches. Tried not to think about where she went wrong. Hades was her last refuge. She'd made so many mistakes, what did she do to lose him too? The train home wasn't nearly as packed, which she took solace in. Perhaps no one would notice her muffled crying.

" _Door closing."_ The voice announced. Persephone watched with an odd sense of horror as the whooshing metalic doors slid into place. The tiles of the platform walls were eclipsed now with her own reflection. This wasn't the same girl that first arrived. Heart pounding, excited with all the potential. No. The girl staring back at her was wiser now. Her sense of wonder dulled. What could she say now to that girl she used to be? She was just as confused as ever.

She braced herself as the train began to move. The tracks to the mortal realm weren't as clean. She rocked back and forth, finding some kind of comfort in the movement.

Then she lurched forward falling completely off the seat. The other passengers tumbled as well as the train stopped suddenly.

" _Emergency stop."_ The voice said overhead. " _Please remain inside the car."_

"What the-" Persephone looked outside, trying to glean any information. Maybe there was a body on the tracks. Or someone was giving birth. Or there was a robbery.

Any delay, only weighed down her gut. She just wanted to get this over with.

" _EEEEEEEI."_ The speakers whined a high pitch noise.

"Ah." Persephone winced.

A fumbling noise like fingers on a mic. " _Hello? Hello. Is this work- Yes? Hello. This is Hades. King of the Underworld."_

Persephone's mouth fell open. The other passengers stirred unnerved. Persephone found herself standing up, holding onto a silver pole for balance.

" _I've made an ass of myself recently."_ Hades continued to announce to the whole of the train. " _You see, I've never let anyone in before. And it's lonely here all by myself, keeping everyone, the entire three kingdoms at arms length. So I tried to...I tried to open myself up. I made an effort, but I was with the wrong person. I tried to make a step in the right direction, but going in backwards. I'm a complete fool."_

Persephone began to tremble.

" _I'm sorry."_ She could hear a deep breath. " _I'm sorry, Kore."_

She backed away, her ankles fumbled over a passengers feet. She didn't even apologize, her eyes were so wide with too many emotions to name.

" _I'm so sorry. I thought I was- it doesn't matter. I hurt you and it doesn't matter even if I had perfect logic and sound reasoning. I hurt you. And I can't forgive myself for that, but for some reason, I'm here to ask if you-"_ Hades appeared outside the door to Persephone's car, floating above the tracks. His breath fogged up the window as he held a mic to his lips. "If you can forgive me."

He held a hand up, pressing his palm on the transparent door. His face had an odd dark line across it. His suit was in tatters.

"Kore. Please don't go." A tear slid down his cheek. Slowly, Persephone glided towards him as if in a trance. "You've done absolutely nothing wrong. I didn't know how to. . . how to protect you. But I realized something. I wasn't trying to protect you. I was trying to protect myself, protect myself from the day when I wouldn't see you again. I tried to make myself think I was doing this for your benefit, but. . . I'm such a coward, Kore. I was a coward. I didn't want to throw myself under a moving train, because I was scared that it would hurt."

Persephone slowly began to raise her hand to his.

"Well, I've done it. I literally threw myself in front of a moving train. And you know what, it did hurt. I don't recommend it."

Persephone laughed, breaking the tension a little.

"If I were you, Kore." Hades took a deep breath. "I'd probably stay on this train. I wouldn't open the emergency release valve. I wouldn't let me in. I'm a mess. I've been working on it, I have. But if I were you, I wouldn't come near me. But here I am, throwing myself under the train and for some crazy reason I'm here, to ask you to forgive me. To be my friend again. To have me. Anyway you want me. Just, don't say you won't see me again. Don't let this be goodbye."

Persephone could see him tremble too. Hades visibly shook on the other side of the door. For the first time, she saw the balance of power being restored as a thick tear rolled down his cheek.

The other passengers muttered to themselves. "What you going to do?" Someone asked. They all began to call out their opinions.

She began to step backwards, away from the door. He froze but his hand slipped from the door.

Persephone said something, her lips forming words muffled by the glass door.

"What?" Hades leaned closer.

"I said," Persephone slammed on the emergency door valve and the the barrier between them slid away, bringing in a harsh cold breeze. "One hundred percent."

He gazed up at her with delighted bewilderment. Before he could respond, Persephone launched into the air, taking a leap of faith off the train car. Hades caught her, swinging her into the air. She nuzzled closer as he pressed her body against his.

"Kore, I-" He couldn't finish his thought before her lips were pressed against his. His eyes widened. After absorbing the contact, he kissed her back, wrapping his hand around her back.

"Hey!"

They looked up.

"This is. . . gross and disgusting, but we got places to be." A gorgon gestured to the train. "Would love to not hear our king making out over loud speaker."

"Right." Hades nodded. "Sorry for the delay." He spoke into the mic. "Another train should arrive to pick you up in about two minutes. Because, again, as I said, I did stop this train with my person."

"Boo." The crowd muttered.

Before Hades could scowl back at them, Persephone tilted his face back down to hers. "Promise me something?"

"Anything." Hades combed her hair back.

"Next time you think of doing something for my own good. . . can you give me a warning at least?"

"I'll do you one better." Hades grinned. "I'll never try to be good for you again." He promised.

Persephone laughed. "That didn't come out the way you thought it did." She pulled him into another kiss. And they floated gently away into the darkness of The Underworld.

"Hey asshole!" The gorgon yelled up at them. "The mic is still on!"

* * *

 **AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

 **xo xo Goldie**


	24. The Response

**AN: Here is what I imagine, Persephone's response to _The Letter_ would be. I can't seem to get it out of my head.**

* * *

The Response

* * *

Dear Hades,

I hope this finds you well. I'm writing because I recently received a letter by accident from you. It was obvious you didn't intend for me to have it. A certain messenger dropped it by while he was running errands. If I had known its purpose, I wouldn't have read it, but you did address it to me. I thought about keeping it a secret, treating it as you did by locking it up in some drawer and burying it from view. However, I can't pretend I didn't read it. I'm a terrible liar and I can't wipe your words from my memory. So, I figured I would respond.

If you still don't know what letter I'm referring to: for what it's worth, I think your therapist is earnestly trying to help and I'm glad you are seeing one. Don't blame the therapist for acknowledging your stifled emotions when that's why you hired them to begin with. That's like getting mad at a plumber for telling you you have faulty pipes after you called them because the sink was leaking.

Are we on the same page now? Yes. Hades. I read _that_ letter.

If you are horrified, I'd like if you could ask yourself why? Is it the truth you are more worried about me finding, or is it your decisions based on that truth? Chew it over.

In the meantime, keep reading.

You say you haven't been in love before but then assume love can't come crashing down on a person. I hope you see the flaw in your logic. You know what they say about assumptions, they make an ass of both of us.

That being said, you're right. You should know more about me. You don't know my ins and outs, but then again you never asked. I think that's what love is for me: Knowing you don't have all the answers, but being brave enough to ask the questions. I'm still working it out myself. I have even less experience than you do in the matter.

For the record: My favorite food? Easy. Fried oreos and basically anything my mom says is bad for me. Please don't tell her I'm not a vegetarian. (Listen, this was your therapy assignment, not mine. Stay out of it.)

I hate not being taken seriously. I hate being treated like a fool. I hate the sounds that creek out in the middle of the night. I hate it when people mix up "your" and "you're." I hate the feeling of wet socks. I hate having to wax my eyebrows. I hate it when people treat me like a child. I hate it when I get in the car and the song I love _just_ ends on the radio. I hate it when people make plans for me without even asking me about it.

I could only come up with 9. If I think of another one, you'll be the first to know.

I am a morning person. I find I get more done before the dew drops dry up, than I do the whole day. I like to be productive. It honestly hurts my stomach if I haven't put in a hard days work. Not because I have to, but because I need to for myself.

Now. Moving on.

To be honest, I didn't know you were making advances. I'm glad you thought I was graceful. I'm showing my complete naivete here, but I'd never had someone flirt with me. If what we were doing before you and Minthe went official was flirting, then I have to admit, I enjoyed it.

If I may make another confession: I like the way you looked at me. It felt good. Eros told me I had a crush on you. I didn't believe him. I probably should have listened to his expertise. You saw me when everyone else overlooked me.

You're infatuated with me? I'm assuming this is the part you didn't want me to find, but if you had known that the feeling was mutual. . . would you change your mind?

It's scary. I know. You wrote those words in the comfort that I'd never read them. But here I am, confessing that I have feelings for you too, knowing it's too late, knowing there's nothing that can be done. I just want you to know that, you're not alone. I see that we both had ideas about who we were before we met each other. And then the water got muddy and it's terrifying to swim in uncharted territory.

I understand why you didn't want me to read this. Why you didn't want to lead me on. You put me before your own wants. Thank you. You're right. I _would_ try to fix you. I would drain myself trying to fill you up. Because that _is_ the type of person I am. Thank you for seeing that.

However, you should have talked to me. You shouldn't assume what was best for me and make decisions without consulting me. As I said previously, it's in the top 9 things that I hate.

You honestly thought pushing me aside, without warning, without reason, would protect my feelings?

Hades, I was devastated. You wouldn't look me in the eye. The one person who saw me, stopped looking my way. I was so confused. I thought I'd done something wrong and you couldn't even tell me why.

You didn't want to get your heart broken, but in the process you broke mine. You were so worried that the gates of your heart were raising, that you set the bridge on fire. Without even a warning or an explanation.

It doesn't matter if you were trying to protect me, you don't treat people you care about like that. I'm glad I found this letter, otherwise how many years would have passed before I understood why I lost a friend. 10? 300? 1000?

What does that say about you? Someone you meet makes you feel good so you turn around and leave? Yes, Hades, you have baggage. So does everyone. Name me one person that doesn't have a mile high list of things in their life they haven't begun to unpack yet.

You say my community has my best interest and that I belong somewhere. You say that I'm tough and I'll make it through. I know you said that to make yourself feel better about your decision.

Like you said, you don't know me. You don't know what I'm capable of and what I'm not. You don't know my life or my struggles. You don't know that I have this seed of doubt and hatred inside of me and that I'm terrified of what it will grow into. You don't know the secrets I have that are pulling at my feet. You don't know how isolated I feel or how freeing I felt when you were my friend.

You didn't want to ask.

You didn't care to know the answer.

You just assumed. Now you're the ass.

I won't comment on your current relationship. Except for this: I wish the two of you the best. I hope you don't burn the bridge of communication down with her. I hope you tell her how you feel and I hope she listens. I hope you consider her and think about what she needs and I hope you ask her about it. I hope she makes you feel good about yourself.

Keep "protecting" me if you wish. I don't think I've ever seen someone be so right and so wrong all at the same time. I don't need your "protection" but I do need a friend. If you want to try again, you know where to find me.

Humbly yours,

Persephone

PS: I'm glad you asked. Meet me for coffee next week and I'll tell you all about it.


	25. The Kindly One (M)

**This is a slash fic. It is NOT Hades x Persephone. It's. . . a lot. Listen. Those snake ladies are hot and I know you thought about it.**

* * *

 **The Kindly One**

 _NSFW/_ _SLASH_

* * *

Alecto leaned against Hades desk eyeing the pink goddess before her. "Excuse me?" She whipped her head back to Hades, her hair taking a second look at Persephone before joining her. Their tongues tasted her in the air.

"Come on, Alecto. I know you have enough ears to hear me." Hades leaned back in his chair. "I'm putting her in your care."

Megaera seethed in the corner, all of her lilac hair staring daggers into the back of Persephone's head. So this was the little goddess caught with Hades in the tabloid. Huh. She scoffed and her hair rattled with jealousy. She turned to her other sister Tisiphone who sat with her legs over the arm of a nearby couch, staying out of it.

"Why?" Alecto scrunched up her face.

"Because I said so." Hades puffed on a cigar. "That should be enough." They stared at each other for a long time. He rolled his eyes, relenting. "Because she is here to learn and I trust the three of you to be good mentors."

She grabbed his tie and pulled him forward off of his chair. Her hair hissed into his ears. "May I _talk_ to you for a moment."

While they argued in the farthest corner of the room, Persephone shifted nervously, straightening her dress and darted her eyes to the fury on the couch who kept flipping a knife into the air absentmindedly. Persephone watched the glint in the metal as it twirled through the air, like watching the flame of a fire. Tisiphone's red eyes caught hers and a shiver ran down Persephone's spine. Black violets sprouted behind her ear.

Megaera slinked forward, taking in Persephone. This was the girl that had taken Hades' fucking brain. Completely not his type. Her lilac fingers grabbed Hades burning cigar and she held it to her lips. "So, friends of Hades, are you?" She said with as much chilly authority as she could muster. She inhaled the cigar and then immediately choked, bending forward and coughing. What the hell was in those things? "I'm alright." She coughed. "I said I'm alright." She hissed as Persephone patted her back comfortingly. What the hell?

"Sorry." Persephone retreated. "Do you need some water? I'll fetch some for you."

"I can get it myself." Megaera straightened up. She wasn't sure what kind of mind games this pink demon sent to torment her was playing, but she would figure it out. Compassion, HA, what a good selfish little ploy, but she could see right through it. She could see. . . Megaera gave up. Alright, she couldn't see anything, but she still didn't like her. And she didn't see why Hades would either. She's completely NOT his type. She probably hasn't even skinned a man before. Weak.

" _She's too sssssoft. She won't cut it with usssssss."_ Alecto hissed out loudly, throwing her hands up in a hail mary attempt to dissuade Hades.

"Okay, Alecto," Hades rolled his eyes, completely over this. "I know you're constantly angry, but you need to cool it for a second."

"Um, excuse me." Persephone stepped forward politely. "Sorry to interrupt your. . . private conversation." Alecto's hair hissed. "My mother used to say never judge a book by it's cover." She began. "But, I think there is value in judging a book by its title." She held out her hand towards the middle sister. "Hades didn't properly introduce us. I'm Persephone."

Tisiphone whipped her head suddenly interested. "You?" She sat up intrigued now by the little flower goddess. "I've heard about you." The snakes on her head nodded happily. She shook Persephone's hand. "Of course she can work with us."

Megaera rolled her eyes, feeling betrayed. Her hair fell limply at her shoulders.

"But-" Alecto started.

"We'll take her under our wing, Hades." Tisiphone sidled up to Persephone and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, love. You're one of us." Her black head of snakes licked at the air around her appreciatively. "Welcome to the squad."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few weeks later Persephone emerged from the Centaur Bucks with a pink frappuccino in her hand and a bounce in her step. It was the first day she'd had off school and at her internship. All her homework was done, caught up, and studied for. Her training with the Furies was going well. Most of the time she was in the gym with them. Yesterday they spent 3 hours in the boxing ring. The bruises on her stomach stung with a few punches she took to the gut, angry throws from Alecto that she couldn't parry. It was tough. She didn't know what being part of their squad really was. But as rough as they were, they were also very. . . considerate. She pondered the way Tisiphone soothed her bruises, rubbing a special oil on them after their workout. Her smile when she said "Good job today." It was so easy to tell when she was pleased, her snake hair twisting in agreement. For someone so dangerous and intimidating. . . Tisiphone was extraordinarily gentle.

"You gonna stand there all day?" A nymph with a large latte in her hand brought Persephone out of her thoughts.

"Hm? Oh sorry." Persephone side stepped,tangling her ankles. A blue hand caught hers and she looked up with wide eyes at Hades staring down at her.

"How do you get through the day being so accident prone?" Hades teased.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" She looked back at the entrance to the Centaur Bucks. "I thought you didn't like the coffee in Olympus."

"It's my day off." Hades shrugged. "I was just in the area on my way back home."

"Oh." Persephone nodded.

"So how's it going with-" Hades sentence got cut short as a familiar purple hand clapped on Persephone's shoulder.

"There's my girl." Apollo appeared, leering down at Persephone. Persephone squirmed. It had been awhile since she last saw Apollo. She thought she had gotten rid of him. But the way Apollo eyed Hades, she began to wonder if this had anything to do with her at all.

"Excuse me?" Persephone tried to wiggle out from his grasp uncomfortably. A sense of panic and dread rising inside. She had been completely caught off guard. There were too many people. She didn't want to cause a scene, but she also didn't want to do nothing.

"Ouch!" Apollo yelped, snatching his hand back from her shoulder. "What the-" He turned to see one of the furies standing behind Persephone. A black viper of hair sneered at him and golden ichor dripped off its fangs.

"Apollo, I didn't realize you knew my girlfriend." Tisiphone wrapped her arms around Persephone's waist and then she kissed her forehead lightly, staring daggers into Apollo's eyes. "This douchebro bothering you?" She whispered loudly into her hairline.

"Uh," Persephone blinked, forgetting how to breath. She briefly glanced up to see Hades frozen expression, hidden behind a wall of stoic resilience. Apollo's face wasn't so demure. Tisiphone winked at her.

"Hey, babe." Persephone played along, slinging her arm against Tisi's back. "Yes. He is. But let's get out of here before you rip him apart."

"Boo. You're no fun." She chuckled, the black vipers hissing. She led Persephone around, but before she followed she leaned towards Apollo. "Do we have a problem?" 18 red eyes stared dangerously at him. A warning rattle sounded at the nape of her neck.

"N-no." Apollo cleared his throat. "No." A drop of sweat beaded at his forehead.

"Good." Tisiphone revolved on her heels, her snakes kept their eyes on him as she and Persephone continued down the sidewalk to her convertible.

"You didn't have to do that." Persephone sighed, leaning back against the dark leather of Tisiphone's passenger seat. "I was handling it."

"I know. Trust me, I know you can handle it on your own, but that doesn't mean you have too. It's easier when you have someone by your side. That's why we always travel in a group." Tisiphone checked the rear view mirror.

Persephone looked behind her at the empty back seat. "Where are your sisters?" They were always together, but she definitely wasn't complaining to spend some time alone with Tisi. She'd been dreaming about it for weeks. Forbidden thoughts keeping her up at night. She was sure, this time, what the feeling was that coursed through her everytime Tisi looked her way. This wasn't subtle or low temperature. This couldn't be mistaken for anything else.

"Oh, they're sleeping in, I suppose." Tisi started the engine. "I came to get my poison of choice." She shook her pink frappuccino in her hand.

"Oh my gosh, those are my favorite!" Persephone beamed. "I didn't take you for a frap girl." Persephone held up her identical drink. "You're all doom and gloom and dark colors." She gulped, heat rising to her neck.

"I like sweet things." Tisiphone shrugged a hint of a smile on her lips.

Persephone blushed. Her heart thudded so loud in her chest, she was sure Tisi could hear it. She swallowed down the knee jerk reaction to respond with, "I like you." _Quick have to say something to cover the sound of my heart racing._ "Did you see the look on Apollo's face when you said I was your girlfriend? Slap me silly, that was delicious."

"Yes. That was pretty good." Tisi mused. "But _your_ face was far more appetizing." Her red eyes looked up through thick eyelashes.

Persephone's breath grew shallow. Black petals betrayed her thoughts.

"My sisters say I come off too strong." Tisiphone turned back to the road. "But, Persephone, you make me feel weak."

Persephone bit her lip and shyly turned away. "Tisiphone. I have a confession."

"And what's that?" The goddess of vengeful murder pulled back, worried her advances were making Persephone uncomfortable.

"The reason I'm working with you." Persephone started, shrugging her shoulder up to her ear. "It wasn't Hades idea." She turned back to Tisiphone bravely, knowing that her blush ran down her face to her neck and chest. "It was mine."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Persephone scrambled into the back, shedding her shorts between the driver's and the passenger's seat. She began to tug on her strawberry patterned hipsters. "Bite me." The cartoon strawberry on her mound said. A dark hand wrapped around her fingers, releasing them from the fabric. "Sssssslow down." Tisi whispered. Persephone took a few deep breaths and obediently rested her arms to her side. The dark goddess appraised Persephone's vibrant body splayed across her back seat, tensed and hungry. Her shirt clung to all her curves, showcasing the hardened nipples that couldn't be contained.

But then striking like a cobra, Persephone grabbed Tisi by her hips and pulled her through till she fell on top of her. "Persephone." Tisi laughed, adjusting herself so her thighs straddled Persephone's hips. She twirled a finger on the pink midriff underneath her, twirling around her belly button and lightly pushing her t-shirt up. "I said you need to slow down."

"Sorry." Persephone batted her eyelashes. She wasn't really sorry, given her hips dipped into the cushion and rocked up into Tisi's groin. "Just adjusting." She grinned, but she kept thrusting up, desperate for Tisi's pressure.

"Gods you're cute." Tisi sighed, pushing Persephone's hair back as she hovered over her. Her vipers tasted the skin of Persephone's neck, her jaw line, her chin, small inky tongues lapping. She gasped at their light touch, arching beneath the Fury, pushing further between her legs. "What am I going to do with you?" Tisi pondered as her hand slid underneath Persephone's shirt. She felt goosebumps raise on the pink tender skin and her snakes rattled favorably in response.

"I'd like to find out." Persephone murmured quietly.

With a wicked grin, Tisiphone leaned towards Persephone's waiting lips. Persephone pressed and puckered her lips in preparation, but Tisiphone stopped just before their lips joined. Nothing but hot breath passed between them, a tortured sigh, a delighted snicker, then Tisiphone's forked tongue gently slithered out into the gap between them, flicking lightly. Persephone eagerly greeted the dark goddess with her own searching tongue, wrapping around the unfamiliar shape. Persephone gasped, full lips parting, and welcomed the forked tongue entrance into her mouth. Tisi smiled, looking down hungrily as Persephone continued slurping on her long slender tongue. Persephone tasted like honey and smelled like strawberries and Tisi so wanted to get lost in her scent. Ravenously, Tisiphone dug further, grasping roughly at Persephone's face pulling her up into a deeper kiss. Her whole body angled over her like a bow while Persephone arched up to match her. Her hips nestled down against Persephone's. She hummed lowly as Persephone welcomed her further into her mouth. Greedily, Tisiphone stretched her tongue and flicked it to the back of Persephone's throat. Pink eyes shot wide open with shock.

Realizing she went too far, Tisiphone pulled up, her snakes looking bashful. "Sorry." She took a deep breath to steady herself. She knew that. . . she was a lot. Especially if no one had experienced her species before. She wasn't sure how far she could go or how far Persephone would want her to.

"Don't be." Persephone leaned forward on her elbows. She waited until those ruby eyes latched onto her gaze. "Do it again." Persephone commanded and then dragged Tisi's face back on to hers.

An involuntary growl ripped from the back of the fury's throat. She rocked her whole body into Persephone and Persephone braced up against her, meeting every movement with her own. A fire building between them, growing hotter and more out of control.

When they came apart for air, Persephone fumbled with the hem of her shirt, twisting it higher. Her breasts ached to be free from its confines. They begged for attention. Already so sensitive, she was mildly worried that at the slightest touch she would implode but it was a risk she had to take.

Realizing what she was doing, Tisiphone put her dusky hand over Persephone's. "Slowly." She directed. All her eyes now trained at at Persephone's soon to be bare chest. Gently, she pushed Persephone's hand, still clutching the fabric, higher. She watched as the white tshirt clung tightly to her curves, lifting them up, building the tension higher until like the break of a wave, the fabric released her.

Tisiphone moaned as the voluptuous pinks breasts fell slowly away from their trapings, then bounced back up deliciously. The soft pink moons seemed to hold the secrets of the world in them and Tisiphone honestly couldn't decide what she wanted to do with them. Like a dessert that was too pretty eat, she didn't want to take a bite out of someone so absolutely gorgeous. Tisiphone should have Persephone hanging above her mantel; there was too much artistry in her body for her to dare touch.

Persephone watched with bemusement as she was ogled from above. She took a deep breath, opening her chest up and arched her back to make the view a little better. Her nipples felt the cold chill of the air, ripening in desire, yearning to be touched. A sound Tisiphone had never made before squeaked out.

"Well?" Persephone raised her eyebrow. She liked the attention, but she craved action.

Tisi blinked and then looked into her eyes. "If you want me to stop, say 'stop.'"

Persephone nodded in understanding, and so did her blush rise. Tisi slithered her position down Persephone's legs, raking her groin against her as she did. Her dark lips kissed Persephone's stomach before looking back up at her again through thick lashes. Gently, she grabbed Persephone's breasts in her hands, squeezing them, lifting them up into her palms and letting them rest back against her chest. Tisi hummed then moved her hands away to her chin, propping herself up over Persephone's stomach. Persephone furrowed her eyebrows, expecting more. That's when she felt the two snakes that framed Tisi's face serpentine across her torso. A shiver ran through Persephone and Tisi felt every twitch. Twin vipers rose, climbing up the hill of Persephone's breast, their black tongues searching, seeking, finding. Persephone gasped, open mouthed as the small flick of their tongue whipped at her sensitive nipples. Her thigh jerked in response, but Tisi held her down. "Easy girl." Tersephone kissed her soft stomach again, but never let her eyes off her chest. The snakes continued, rubbing now against her areola. They continued licking at her nipples, their forked prongs twisting. Persephone moaned at each subtle lashing, her sensitivity only growing. She wanted more. She wanted pressure.

Reading Persephone's face, Tisiphone smiled. "Yes?" She questioned ruthlessly.

Persephone whimpered, her hands clasped at the tshirt still wrapped around her neck, needing some kind of release. She pressed her hips once again up into Tisi, but only found her soft stomach. No satisfaction granted. No balm for her ache.

The light tease on her breasts was driving her crazy. She kept twitching, yearning for release from this delicious torture, but Tisiphone was all too skilled to let her get away this easy.

"Please." Persephone begged.

"Please, what?" Tisiphone smirked devilishly.

Persephone gasped. "Please me."

Suddenly the snakes at her breasts rose as if to strike, then darted in and clamped around her nipples. Persephone cried out, her scream filling the car and jerked once again. Her hands instinctively flew to her breasts, but Tisi caught them in her own.

"Breath, baby." Tisiphone reassured her. "That's it." She watched as Persephone settled back down. "You're doing so good." Tisiphone kissed the back of Persephone's hand. "There we go, baby." Persephone bit her lip, finding the pleasure once again. Her hand grew limp in Tisiphone's, pliable and willing. Tisirose up and placed Persephone's hand to her black tank top. Persephone began kneading her breasts between her fingers, finding the obstacle of her tank top to be infuriating. In a daze, Persephone pulled down on the straps and shoved Tisi's tank top down to her stomach. But Before she could fondle her bare breasts again, Tisiphone yanked her hands violently away and pinned her arms against the car door window.

Calculatingly, Tisiphone slithered her body up and down Persephone's, letting her tits drag softly against her skin, dark hardened thimbles tracing a line across her pink canvas. She could feel Persephone's hum of desire through their connection. As Tisi's nipples carefully caressed the darkened bruises on her ribs, a shiver trembled through Persephone. The snakes at her breast never relented their clasp on her. Then slowly she lowered her chest further down,her hips rising in the air, and her breasts now picked at the fabric of Persephone's underwear. When they failed, Tisi's teeth grazed against her skin in a dangerous kiss, hooked on the fabric, then she ripped the strawberry pattern into pieces.

The mangled "Bite Me" swung from the dark lips of the fury. In response, Persephone trembled and then her legs collapsed to either side, granting access to where her ache burned the hottest. Tisi hissed appreciatively. "Yessssss." Already tasting her in the air.

Persephone watched like a hawk as the black tongue flicked ever closer. She forgot how to breath. So focused on Tisiphone's mouth, she didn't realize what the rest of her was doing. Suddenly, small soft fires alighted on her inner thighs as the rest of her snakes licked her inner leg circling toward her center. Before she could process it, Tisiphone lapped the bundle of nerves into her mouth, pulling her in with her forked tongue. Persephone's hand smacked against the car door and Tisiphone relished in her most favorite sound of all:

Screams.

Giving Persephone a rest, Tisi released her clit from her lips and leaned her head against Persephone's warm inner thigh. Persephone panted. She couldn't remember how to breath. Tisi enjoyed the overwhelmed expression twisting on her face. After a moment, Persephone whimpered and flexed her hips suggestively, wanting once more the sweet dark kisses of the Fury wrapped around her pleasure.

Instead teasingly, Tisiphone let her long tongue slip out between her lips, casually dragging down her inner thigh. Working together the tongues of her snake hair moved likewise. A thrill spasmed through Persephone and a gasp escaped out of her. Tisi hummed with satisfaction, pleasure or pain, it didn't matter to her, but she loved the reaction in others. More than enough to turn her on. Some deserved pain. But Persephone. Oh, Persephone deserved pleasure. She deserved to feel good. She deserved this.

Two locks of snakes gently pulled Persephone's folds apart, revealing once more her pink swollen bud, like a pearl. Tisi's slender tongue darted forward. Persephone's breath hitched as the inky prongs flickered on her tender clit. The light vibrations sent sensations through her till her toes curled.

"Oh, fuck." Persephone breathed, sinking further into the car cushions. Cheered on by this wild reaction, Tisiphone moaned, her tongue working harder, wrapping around her nub like a finger then flicking it again as she released. Slowly her tongue tickled her inner folds. Persephone's legs widened automatically. Then Tisiphone dipped into the warm pool of her vagina, lubricating her tongue again so she could continue torturing the poor girl's pink pearl with pleasure.

Persephone began to writhe under her, her head only full of the overwhelming fire in her groin and yet it still wasn't enough. She rocked her hips, thrusting towards the invisible sense of satisfaction.

"Easy, baby." Tisiphone purred. Then she released one of her hands, still pinning Persephone against the door to her pink lips. Persephone sucked her finger obligingly, her eyelids heavy with desire. Tisiphone contemplated her. Her tongue felt so inviting. A wry smile crept on her face with an idea. She pulled Persephone up to a seated position, placing her on her lap. Eagerly, they kissed, their bodies moving on eachother like the waves of an ocean. Tisiphone leaned back suddenly onto the leather seat, yanking Persephone on top of her by her nipples, still securely connected.

"Ah!" Persephone screeched, but she wasted no time on top of the dark goddess. She grinded on her hip. Her hand reached to her shorts, dipping below the fabric and moaned into her kiss as she felt Tisiphone's own wet desire lubricate her fingers. Tisiphone raised her hips, lifting Persephone up with her pelvis, when she came back down Tisiphone's shorts had been expertly removed, a string thong the only barrier between them. It was no barrier for Persephone. She reached behind her between her own legs to find Tisiphone, she slide her finger between her folds. Tisiphone growled. A deep burning ember, the fire igniting in her core.

"Hold your breath." Tisiphone warned. Persephone wondered why, then the snakes on her chest finally released their clamp around her nipples and she screamed as the feeling came swarming back into them, knocking her over with the ghost of pain.

In another sudden movement, Tisiphone flipped Persephone around so that her thighs straddled Tisi's head. Her toes pressed against the door.

No more games. No more teasing. Tisiphone spread Persephone's ass cheeks apart with her hands wrapped around her thighs. Gods, what a woman. She hungrily sucked at her clitoris, lapping up her juices. Fingering inside her deepened cavern.

Persephone tried to regain composure enough to reciprocate, but her body kept trembling. She wanted to explore the space between Tisiphone's thighs like it was the last frontier, a void she desperately wanted to get lost in, but her body was too weak to comply. She couldn't tell what was happening. She couldn't see what Tisiphone was doing to her, but fuck, she didn't want it to stop. She screamed against the dark wet folds as tiny tongues rimmed her asshole.

Tisiphone clenched suddenly. "Oh fuck." She breathed as a wayward orgasm ricocheted through her. Her wild moan echoed between Persephone's thighs.

Persephone blinked. She hadn't even done anything. Then she lost her train of thought again as Tisiphone's tongue vibrated once again, hitting her bundle of nerves with everything she had.

Persephone braced herself against the coming explosion, her stomach tightened, she closed her eyes. The dancing tongues kissed down fires of pleasure across her skin and finally Persephone erupted. Fireworks flashed behind her eyelids. "Ah, ah, ah." She vocalized as one after another orgasms rolled through her, twisting her. She gently kissed Tisiphone's inner thigh, trying in someway to repay her, to let her know how wrecked she made her feel.

After a moment of heavy breathing, Persephone crawled off of her. Tisiphone sat up out of breath. She smiled at the goddess of spring, taking her chin in her hand, appraising Persephone. "Wonderful." Her hair rattled with satisfaction.

Slowly her hand trailed down her body, lightly sweeping over her new bruises. "Come on." Tisiphone leaned her forehead against hers. "Let me take care of you now."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When they pulled up to the home of The Furies, Tisiphone opened the door hand in hand with Persephone. "Hey girls!" She yelled into the house. Persephone blushed, not wanting any attention. "It's alright." Tisiphone reassured her, sweeping her hair behind her ear.

"What?" Alecto hissed poking her head from the side room.

"Persephone's gonna hang out with me today. Don't be weird." She grinned at her sister's innocently.

"Oh my gods, you're dating her, aren't you?" Alecto sighed, exasperated.

A ferocious scream pierced the house followed by a loud screeching, "FUCK!" Megaera stormed in, her eyes wild, then dramatically she flung her notebook through the living room window, splintering the glass. Now laying open on the dirt outside, wind kicked up a few pages. Hades name was scratched out and instead the notebook was full of "Persephone."

* * *

 **thanks for reading. I'm sorry? I'm not sorry.**

 **byeeeeeeeeeeeeee**

 **xoxo**

 **Goldie**


	26. A Crowd

**AN: Another soft sweet one for ya. Not writing as much fanfic these days. I'll post when I can.**

* * *

A Crowd

* * *

"Alright." Hades sighed, laying his hand on the table. "Let's get this meeting started." He eyed the empty chair to his right, wondering where its normal occupant might be. She'd been so distant recently. She didn't even turn to say goodbye when she left for her emergency meeting. He cleared his throat. "Right. Charon," Hades addressed the table. "Any updates on the route exchange?"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A waiter had just brought a basket of bread and ambrosia butter. Before he left, Hera caught his arm. "Another gin and tonic, will you?" So what if it was only 11am.

"Of course, your Majesty." The waiter responded with a polite nod to Hera. "Anything else for you, your Majesty?" He offered to Amphitrite.

She shook her head at first and then, "Oh, I'll take some water, with a little bit of salt in it, if you don't mind."

"Of course, your majesty." The waiter nodded, as if it wasn't an absurd drink order. Amphitrite watched the waiter exit to the kitchen.

"He's kind of cute." She commented absently.

"Hmm." Hera looked at the clock on her phone. "She's late. She's never late." Just then a black vehicle screeched to a stop outside and a pink hand tossed the keys to the valet. Persephone then turned back around and apologized to the valet for being rude.

Amphitrite waved her over to their table. "Oh!" She waved back enthusiastically and made her way through the obstacles of tables and chairs to the empty seat at their table.

Before she could even open her mouth to apologize, Hera asked with suspicious slitted eyes. "And where have you been?"

Persephone blushed and began nervously fiddling with her hair. "Well," Persephone began.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Persephone flipped through the old magazine. The overhead fluorescents cast a glare from the glossy pages. Tea spots stained the edges and the crossword puzzle was full up with smeared ink. The corner of a page got caught around her diamond pave wedding band. She wrangled the paper loose then jumped as the door opened, but it was just some random gorgon leaving. She waddled out with a hand on her stomach. This was not the person she was looking for. Persephone moved the sunglasses further up her nose, hoping not to be noticed. No stranger to the flames of rumors, Persephone didn't want to start another fire. Not yet at least. She scrunched down into the sticky chair and held the magazine to her face.

There was a commotion beyond the door. Hurried voices, shuffling paper, fast footsteps, and then the door opened revealing a plum colored goddess with frazzled hair pulled haphazardly into a makeshift bun. Hera and Zeus's eldest daughter had pushed past the nurse, grabbing the clipboard from her hand and read the name on the chart one more time to be sure. It was her. The Queen of the Underworld. No words passed between them, but an understanding did. Persephone rose from her chair as gracefully as possible, though her insides were squirming. No going back.

She was ushered out of the waiting room.

"Queen Persephone." Eileithyia curtsied, respectfully.

"Oh, please." Persephone waved her hand. "It's fine, Eileithyia."

"My mother speaks so fondly of you. I'm sorry I couldn't attend your wedding; I was on call that weekend."

"Oh, pssh, don't worry about it." Persephone grinned, not at all offended. "We didn't want a big to-do anyway. Besides, that was quite a few years ago." It seemed like such a short but also long time ago all at once. In some respect, she felt like they had always been together, for millennia, and in other ways it felt like they were just starting out in their relationship.

"Oh was it?" Eileithyia tapped her chin. "Oh dear. I'm sorry. I'm so busy all the time, it's hard to keep track. Well, I'm honored you came." She guided the dainty queen to her office. "But, you should have called. I can do house visits. You didn't have to come all this way to Olympus when-"

"Oh, I know." Persephone blushed. "I just-" She shrugged, not really sure how to finish that sentence. She didn't want Eileithyia to come to her house. Because she didn't want to have to explain it. Not yet. Not when there were too many variables. Too many what ifs and unknowns.

Another understanding passing between them.

"I just. . ." Persephone fiddled with her hair. ". . . want to make sure."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Well," Persephone took a deep breath back at the restaurant. "I'm sorry. I know I'm the one that called this meeting." She sat down and caught her breath. "Thank you for coming."

Amphitrite politely bit off a bite of bread, then soaked it in the water glass in front of her. "No trouble at all. I love these little get togethers."

The Gathering of Queens. Is what they had begun to call their little chats. Their husbands had their own family meetings, now, so did their wives. Around the table, this is where issues were resolved. The ladies around this table were all capable, intelligent badasses, carrying the three worlds on their shoulders. Trade wars settled, blood baths avoided, the minutiae of mortal ongoings handled, organized, dispensed. A think tank of wit of power, strength, gentleness, tenderness, and authority that only the wives' perspective could bring.

Though, sometimes they got together to just bitch and gossip over mimosas. Truthfully, they actually enjoyed each other company. The women beside them at the table, though completely different, no story the same, but they all had something very much in common that no other person in any of the realms did. They formed a community in each other. It was nice to know that, that in their shared experience as Queens, they had formed a natural sisterhood.

"Anything for you, your majesty?" The waiter appeared with the new arrival. Persephone was the new one to the group, but without her, there had been no gathering of the Queens. Hera and Amphitrite only meet at soirees and parties, but never sought each other out. Not until Persephone. She was the real operator and the glue to the group

"I'll take a mimosa please." Persephone answered, then she bit down on her lip. "Actually, hold the champagne, just orange juice is fine."

As the waiter walked back to the kitchen, Hera grabbed Persephone's wrists, staring into her eyes. "Is there something you want to tell us Persephone?"

The Queen of the Underworld took a deep breath. "Well. I had some. . . questions I wanted to ask of you two." Her heart pounded and she could feel it in her throat. She could also feel Hera's intense gaze at her. Was it that obvious? Could she tell? "Especially you, Tritie."

"Shoot." Amphitrite leaned on the table.

"How exactly. . ." Persephone templed her fingers, trying to find the best way to ask this. She shook her head and started over again. "Did Zeus or Poseidon ever. . . have any. . . fears or doubts about. . ." Persephone bit her lip. A bead of sweat dripped down the back of her neck. ". . . Fatherhood?"

Hera and Amphitrite shared a glance then turned back to Persephone with a huge grin on their face. Before they could ask, Persephone plowed through. "It's just. You know, they didn't exactly have the _best_ father figure growing up and well, all that stuff." Persephone shivered. "So, I was wondering if that had ever posed an issue with your husbands. If they ever, were. . . well, when they found out they were going to be fathers, if there was any resistance."

Hera swallowed down her jubilation for the time being. "Are you kidding? Zeus? Resistant to being a father." She barked out a laugh and took another swig of her drink. "That's rich. He loves it. He loves having children. He loves them so much, he made one by himself." She rolled her eyes, taking another large gulp of gin and tonic. Athena was a sore spot for Hera. Most of Zeus's children were.

"And Poseidon?" Persephone gulped.

"Eh." Amphitrite shrugged. "Poseidon's not really much of the worrying type. He goes with the flow."

Persephone slumped forward. "That's not my Hades."

Hera and Amphitrite shared another glance. "Persephone." Hera cleared her throat. "Persephone, are you pregnant?"

"Well," Persephone shifted in her seat a small frown pulling her lips down as she gazed out of focus. "Actually, Hades and I have been trying for a couple of years now. I thought something may have been wrong. I mean, what good am I as fertility goddess if I can't even-"

"Oh." Hera's eyebrows shot up. "I didn't realize." Her heart hurt for her young sister-in-law. She'd known before Hades and Persephone even started dating, how much Persephone wanted a family. That night at Rhoade's birthday party, the look in Persephone's eyes when Amphitrite asked if she wanted children. The quiet heartbreak in her reply as she was still part of the Maiden's at that time.

Persephone's voice was quiet, "I went to see your daughter."

"Eris?" Hera guessed.

"No, no- Eileithyia."

"Oh right." Hera nodded, momentarily forgetting about that one. "That makes more sense given the context." If Persephone wanted children, she was more than happy to let her have one of hers.

"I was just trying to get the final word. You know. So that, I'd stop being disappointed." Persephone shifted.

"Oh honey." Amphitrite leaned forward and grabbed Persephone's hand in solidarity.

Then Persephone's lips twitched up into a sudden grin, her smile more radiant than the sun. "But I got some good news actually. Only, I'm not sure how to tell Hades." She buzzed with energy, nearly hovering out of her seat in excitement.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Styx, these numbers are shit." Hades waved his cigar through the air. "Honestly, did you think-" A load thwack came from the window. Surprised and caught off guard, a grey moth sprouted from his shoulder. "The hell?" He looked up to see his pink wife pressed up against the window looking in.

"Kore?" Hades bounced to his feet immediately and unlocked the window.

Persephone barreled through and tackled Hades to the ground. "Hi." She breathed. "Sorry for ditching you earlier. And sorry for crashing through but I have something really important I need to-"

"Kore. . ."

"No, listen. I need to tell you something."

"Kore. . ." Hades tapped gently at her shoulder and motioned to the 9 other people in the room.

"Oh. Oops."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Oh my gods, YOU ARE PREGNANT." Hera's eyes shined yellow. "I KNEW it!"

"ShHHHHH!" Persephone hissed, looking around the restaurant paranoid. "Keep it down. I haven't told anyone yet. Not even my-" She stopped short. "Well, I haven't told anyone."

"AH!" Amphitrite got up and hugged Persephone, squishing her gills into the side of Persephone's face. "I'm so happy for you! Oh my gods, Hades a father." Amphitrite cackled. "Can you imagine?"

Persephone bit her lip, a warm smile lifting her face. Hades, the man who patiently picked out all the burs that stuck to Big John's fur. Hades, the man who stayed up all night just to take care of her when she got Pixie Pox. Hades, the man who would drop everything at a moment's notice to come wherever she called. "Yes." Persephone nodded. "Yes, I can."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." Hera spoke kindly.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Through the glass window, the conference watched as their Queen spoke animatedly. They couldn't hear her, but they could tell she could barely keep her thoughts together. They watched as at a some final point in Persephone's rambling, Hades silently fell to his knees. He wrapped his wife into his arms and folded her into his chest. Their King and Queen held each other in a soft embrace, their chests heaving, for a long time. A quiet word whispered into her ear. A gentle kiss on his cheek. Another hug. A choked up laugh escaping out of Hades and he wiped something out of his eye. They cried, happy tears falling down both of their cheeks. They tangled up into each other once again.

After several intimate moments, secrets passing between only them, Hades returned to the conference room. He cleared his throat and straightened his tie. "Sorry for the interruption." Hades started. A grin he couldn't hide kept twisting up his face. And then proceeded to say for the first time in his career, "You know what. Um. Everyone, go home. Take the rest of the day off."


	27. Visitors

**AN: This is a little different. Wanted to write a little story about one of the other popular mythological events including Hades and Persephone. Like what is up with people wanting to kidnap Persephone? Anyway. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Visitors:**

Pirithous and Theseus

* * *

Russell pulled on the leash. His paws scratched along the pavement and his breath came out in gasps until he was nearly coughing, strangling himself against his harness. Hades rolled his eyes and stopped walking until Russell settling down, but he only strained harder.

"For Gaia's sake. What's gotten into you?" Hades bent down and picked Russell up who then proceeded to squirm. "Listen. Just because Persephone isn't here this week doesn't mean you get to go back to misbehaving." Russell perked up at Persephone's name, ears pointing up. His beady eyes looking up at Hades. Then a moment later Russell's ears flattened again. His snout scowled into a snarl and Hades felt a low growl begin to build under his fingers in Russell's chest.

"If you tear up the couch before Persephone returns tomorrow, I swear to. . . " Hades thought for a moment and then gave up. Big John sat patiently at Hades side. But the fur on her back was raised too. "Big John?" Then Hades looked down at Fudge. Whose tail whacked happily, nonplussed and unaware.

Hades doesn't normally fancy taking his dogs on walks, but lets them run around his estate. However, this week with the absence of his wife Persephone he's been having a hard time distracting himself from the gnawing void of loneliness. When he closes his eyes he sees pink. So now he takes his dogs on frequent walks, just to do something. He takes them a few at a time. He has a system for it so the misbehaving ones wouldn't be lumped together.

Persephone would be coming home tomorrow. Tomorrow. Hades heart pounded just thinking about it. Worried that as the seconds ticked on, getting closer, he would drown in agony and somehow time would stop all together as a cruel joke from the universe.

She kissed him goodbye last week. Her lips were so tender. One hand on his chest, the other on the bags packed for the mortal realm. "I'll return." She promised. Those tender lips etched her oath under his jawline. Hades barely let her go if not for that promise.

Her absences were becoming more and more frequent as her duties to Spring and the surface world demanded her. The underworld felt even colder without its Queen. Hades dogs had never gotten so much exercise.

Fudge sniffed at the ground. And then a terrible whine escaped from her small snout and she pawed at Hades joggers.

"Listen, I miss her too but you don't have to-" Hades rounded the corner hedge leading up to his manor. "Be upset." He finished in a daze and set Russell down very slowly. Taking in the full scene, Hades cocked his head to the side. Two men. Human. Two human men. Two human _living_ men were throwing rocks at his upstairs windows. Their forms were solid, not like the shades that resided in his kingdom. Bottles of ale hung loosely in their hands.

"AAAAyyyyye!" One of them yelled. His voice slurred with liquor. "Knock knock!"

The other human laughed. His face red. His legs gave out and he sat in Hades driveway. "Open up." He giggled. The other one chuckled along with him.

"What's so funny?"

The men snapped their necks around to see Hades the King of the Underworld staring down at them with red glowing eyes. By his side were three dogs, distrust in their body language.

The man on the ground gulped and turned to the other.

"Hm?" Hades continued. "I like to laugh. So please. Tell me. What's the joke?"

"You must be Hades." The mortal stepped forward with his hand out. "I'm Pirithous. That's my mate, Theseus." A dumb grin spread across his face, spurred on by the alcohol that Hades could nearly taste on his breath.

"Charmed." Hades blinked, completely underwhelmed so far. "What are you doing on my property?"

Theseus hiccuped from the ground. "We've come to steal your wife." He said it so matter of factly, like they were providing a commercial service.

Pirithous nodded in agreement. "Yeah, yeah."

"My wife?" Hades' eyebrow arched. His tone as dry as bones. How dare they mention her.

"We'll be out of your hair in no time, we just have to get what we came for and then we'll be on our way." Pirithous explained reasonably, folding his hands in front of him.

"And you came for my wife." Hades clarified.

"Yes." They both nodded.

"Persephone."

"That's the one."

Hades eyed them a second more. He stared down at Fudge who's tail whapped happily at his attention. They've come to take Persephone away from him. Then Hades' lips twisted up devilishly. "But of course." Hades opened his arms in a welcoming gesture and nodded towards his door. "Persephone's somewhere inside. Please, come in."

* * *

"This is the hall of victory." Hades guided them through his home like they'd purchased tickets. Helmets, swords, and tokens of victory were displayed on both sides of the hallway with low level lighting and luxurious display cases. "The battles of Olympia. You know." He laughed curtly. "As my brothers would call them, the glory days." As they made their way through the hall of victory he spied Persephone's addition on a pedestal. It almost looked like a purple leather glove, but the dried ichor at the bottom gave it away. The hand of Apollo. With a swiping finality, she'd cut it off with her scythe. He grinned proudly. The first blood drawn by the Dread Queen. "I like to think I'm currently in the glory days right now though."

"Ahem." One of the mortals coughed. "Perhaps Persephone is in the kitchen or doing laundry?"

Hades blinked. "Why would-." He frowned again. "You're right." His voice layered with sarcasm. "Perhaps my helpless little wife is doing her chores like a good respectful obedient woman." Hades had to stop himself from laughing at the thought of this subservient goddess these men had cooked up in their brain. Is that what they wanted? A defenceless damsel in distress for them to rescue? A goddess who would be so grateful for two drunken mortals rescuing her from the confines of her marriage with the Underworld she would reign herself to household chores.

"This way to the kitchen." Hades marched onwards. "Mmm. Smells like she's been baking." It was true, the scent of unmistakable freshly made cookies wafted in from the room at the end of the corridor.

"Persephone!" Hades called. "My poor sad wife. I have good news. Humans have come to rescue you from me." Pirithous and Theseus bounded into the kitchen getting amped up. They posed as if they rehearsed this moment then faltered. Hades paced around the empty kitchen. "Persephone?" He played dumb and put his finger to his chin. "Well. Where could she be?"

Pirithous lunged forward to the counter where a plate of warm cookies sat tantalizing. He scooped one up into his hand and said while munching on it, "Perhaps she is drawing water at the well."

"Mmm." Hades nodded. His lips twitched as Pirithous took another cookie for himself. They were actually dog biscuits he was making for Big John's fussy stomach. "The well. Good thought. Because we definitely don't have plumbing here."

"Plumbing?" Theseus eyed the 'cookies' but thought against it.

"Don't worry about it." Hades rolled his eyes. "Come on. Perhaps your prize is outside."

Hades lead them around the grounds. A parade of dogs followed them from inside. Scratches followed after them and low growls haunted them as they continued their tour. "So, Piri." Hades arched his eyebrow as he looked down at the mortals who tripped over themselves to keep up. "Mind if I call you Piri?" He continued quickly without waiting for a response. "It's quite impressive you broke into the Underworld." He eyed them again in their drunken stupor. An acidic taste hitting the back of his tongue. "So I do wonder." Hades continued to march on, closer to the ridge overlooking the city. The stepping stones Persephone placed for the trail here matched her small foot falls. It reminded him to walk slower, his feet covered the stones completely but he didn't skip a single one. For a brief moment he forgot about the mortals. Instead the memory of her arm clenched around his during their morning walks. They couldn't watch the sunrise together here, but Persephone herself lit the underworld like a sun. Hades sighed. "So tell me." He nodded and the memory of Persephone faded away again, replaced by the splotchy faces of the men come to steal her away. "How did you get past my security?" If Cerberus was to be doing his job correctly, these men would be torn to shreds between his three heads.

"The monster?" Pirithous scratched the back of his scalp. Hades frowned at the term.

"Does he live?" Hades eyed the horizon, red eyes glowing under half closed lids. Holding righteous anger just below the surface. _Monster? They don't know the meaning of monster._

"Oh sure." Piri nodded. "We didn't fight that beast, if that's what you mean."

Hades audibly sighed in relief. Like an open dam, the lake of fury drained back into a gentler river. For now.

Theseus pushed Piri to the side. "Oh yeah. We chucked 2 whole racks of ribs to the side and ran."

Hades clicked his mouth and touched his hand to his forehead. Cerberus would be so gassy later. _Great._ Stupid dog.

"You're lucky to have gotten here alive." Hades half smiled. "Though most people don't." He took a moment to enjoy his joke, but it was lost on the men. "Well. Persephone!" He turned around and called to his wife who wasn't there. "Persephone!" He turned back to the men and shrugged. "Oh. I know. Let me just call her."

"Call?"

Hades pulled out his phone and pressed the speed dial for her. Her picture came up on his phone.

"What is that?" Theseus stepped closer in awe at the shining glowing box.

"It's. . . uh. . ." Hades faltered. "A magic scrying. . . tablet." He came up with quickly. Persephone wouldn't answer, and he knew it. No modern devices were allowed in the mortal realm. Still, he thought she'd get a kick out of this voice-mail when she returned. The ring tone completely had the men in awe. Mortals were so very stupid. And so easily mesmerized.

Then suddenly Persephone's face appeared, a blurry pixelated pink until the signal got better. "Hades?" She smiled and blue petals grew on her crown, twisting along the spindles.

Hades nearly dropped his phone in surprise. "Persephone." He gasped in delight and surprise. He turned his phone away so that the men couldn't look at her. They didn't deserve to.

Husband and wife took just a moment to look at each other. Words passed between them in silence they could never fully express aloud. Before Persephone could offer an explanation of her handling technology, Hades shifted and straightened out his collar.

"Ms. Persephone." He threw on a weird voice, hoping that Persephone would pick up on it. "Are you or are you not in my palace?"

"Your palace?" Persephone raised her eyebrows. "And um no, you know that-"

Hades continued on hurriedly, using speed to heighten his faux anger. "It is downright unacceptable for you to leave these grounds without my permission."

"Permission?" Persephone balked, red started to color her eyes but then she saw a devilish blue wink. "Yes sir." She nodded, playing along. "My apologies your majesty. It won't happen again." She wasn't sure what was happening or if this was some type of sexy role play. She kind of liked it.

"It is extremely unbecoming of a young woman to be so independent."

 _Okay. Less sexy._

"Isn't that right?" Hades looked down at Pirithous and Theseus. "You see, my small helpless wife, we have visitors." He switched the camera back facing so she could see them.

"Oh!" Persephone laughed and she covered it up with some coughing. "Oh. My deepest regrets. And what, pray tell, do we owe the honor of this visit from these fine handsome mortal men."

"It is favorable that you think they handsome, as my dear, they have come to rescue you, to steal you away from your dark cold husband."

"Ah." Persephone bit her lip to keep her from laughing. "Such a pity that I, a reckless woman, abandoned my post and my womanly duties, or else I could have been saved from your savagery."

 _No. No. This was still kind of sexy._

The men bumped their elbows together. It was after all, a good dead they were doing. And definitely not a selfish idea that had come to them just moments before they headed out for their journey.

"My fearsome husband." Persephone sighed. "I can't keep this connection much longer. But please," Her voice lowered and gods bless it that only Hades could see her expression. "Do have them wait for my return." Her eyes flashed red and a devilish smirk that outmatched Hades' cracked across her cheek. Hades moaned a little. He bit his fist and nodded.

Persephone blew a kiss into the camera. She mouthed, "I love you." And the call ended.

He sighed and turned back to the view of the city. "Well. You heard her. Let's wait." He patted the bed of rock beside him. "Come on, sit." His vibrant blue skin began to darken. "You've traveled a long way. Rest. Have a seat. Relax. Your prize will come to you." He clapped a hand on Pirithous' shoulder, sinking him further down into the rock. Hades pointed out towards the city center. "It's a good view. Isn't it? What do you think? Not many people with a beating heart like you see it. What do you think of it?"

The men followed his gaze and nodded like chums. "Looks nice." They stated. "Yeah, very . . . shiny. I uh I well, uh I like it."

"Good." Hades smiled, jagged teeth exposed from his dark midnight colored skin. The men started to feel nervous. The chill in the air caused goose bumps to raise on their skin. "I'm glad you like the view." Hades stood up slowly, dusting off his robe. "You'll be here for quite awhile."

Hades pivoted around back towards his mansion. "Ta-ta." He waved at the mortals.

"Wait." Theseus twisted back to Hades."Wait." He tried to prop himself back up but he couldn't. "WAIT!" He yelled.

Pirithous too tried to stand back up, but his legs were firmly cemented into the sheet of rock they sat on. "No." Pirithous shook his head. He laid his hand beside him to wrench himself off, but then his hand got stuck. "No." His other hand flayed beside him and too became conjoined with the stone. 'NO!"

Hades chuckled as they continued to scream behind him. "You really underestimated me." He called to them. "And even more dangerous, you really underestimated my wife."

Hades opened the door and his dogs joined his side immediately. "Come on Big John. I have some treats for you." He ruffled her fur and they trotted back to the kitchen, a new bounce in his step. "That's a good girl." He bent down and scratched behind Big John's ear as she lapped up the dog biscuit. "Alright." He he stood back up. "Whose turn is it next for a dog walk?" He eyed the rest of his doggy crew. They wagged their tails happily at their dad.

It would be a long time for Persephone to return. He took solace in the fact that he wasn't the only one agonizingly waiting.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **xoxo**

 **Goldie**


	28. For All Occasions

**Summary:**

 **Take away the gods, the powers, the immortality. . . As normal people, would Hades and Persephone still find each other?**

* * *

For All Occasions

* * *

"And just one more of these." Persephone wrapped another tulip into the bouquet. Quickly she tied a satin blue ribbon around the freshly trimmed stalks and fastened it with a pearl head pin. "What do you think of this?" She offered the bouquet to her new client. The soon to be bride eyed it in wonder and tentatively accepted the bundle.

As she waited for a reaction, Persephone twirled a finger through a strand of strawberry blonde hair that had gotten loose from it's french braid.

"Wow." The client moved her head to the side to fully see it. "You know, I came in here expecting to be disappointed again. All my plans for the wedding are going south, but. This. This is beautiful. I didn't really think flowers were. . ."

"Flowers make everything better." Persephone smiled. "If you want to change the colors-"

"No-no." The client shook her head. "It's perfect."

"Then I'll have an arrangement like that for the bridal bouquet and how many bridesmaids?"

"Five."

"And I'll have five smaller bouquets ready for pick up the morning of. They won't have the callalily or sun-flower, but more baby's breath. We want yours to stand out."

"Sounds great." As the bride to be rummaged around in her purse for her credit card. The light caught on her diamond engagement ring. Persephone eyed it wistfully. Maybe one day it would be her on the other side of the consult table. She sighed. She was much too busy to think about that. Between running the shop, taking night classes for her master's program in horticulture and taking care of her mother, relationships were always pushed to the side. She catered to wedding and anniversaries and all the celebrations of love and life. Flowers for all occasions.

Persephone smiled and ran the clients card. She was always the one looking on. Neither guest or participant. Just the girl that made the magic happen for other people. She liked it that way. Right?

A quick double tap on the threshold. "Hey Perse. Got everything loaded up. I'll take it all out lickity-split." Her old friend from college, Hermes waved the clipboard in the air with the list of items and addresses. He quit college during Sophomore year and started a delivery service out of the van he was living in and was actually doing a pretty good job of it.

"In one piece this time, yeah?" Persephone raised her eyebrows. "Please be careful."

"I'm always careful." He ruffled the back of his fluffy brown hair. Persephone shot him a glance. "Okay, well, except that one time." Hermes beamed. Then before Persephone could scold him some more he turned on his heels. "Gotta go!"

She shook her head as she pulled the receipt paper off and had the bride-to-be sign the bottom line. "Thank you for your business. We'll see you on the big day."

Persephone took a moment to reorganize her schedule to make sure she'd have everything ready and prepared on time to make the order complete. She made a few calls to her her flower farmers and placed the order for more callalily and another shipment of baby's breath. Looking at her day planner, she stepped into the back room where the buckets of iris were acclimating for tomorrow's event. She checked her stock of foam blocks and green wire. She backed up into a tripod, nearly kicking over the large wreath resting on it.

"Ah, god dammit." Persephone slammed her day-planner on the ground. "Hermes didn't load this wreath for Mr. Theseus." After taking a calming breath she picked up her planner. "Mr. Theseus. Mr. Theseus." She thumbed the pages. "Crap. It's today." She bit her lip, staring at the wreath. She'd have to go. Her fingers twitched by her side. She'd have to deliver it herself.

Charon opened the office door. "Sir, there's an issue."

"Do you not know how to knock?" Hades looked up from his glasses. Last month's invoices in his hand. "I'm busy." He clicked his mouth. "Seriously, why are we spending so much on name brand refreshments?" He jotted down a note on a yellow legal pad.

"Listen, I know you got this tough guy businessman attitude an all that bullshit but-"

"Excuse me?" Hades snarled and slammed his hand on the desk. "Get out. Go do your job."

"That's what I'm trying to say." Charon rolled his eyes. "I can't."

"You can't?" Hades temper wasn't getting better.

Charon gulped.

"If you can't do your job, then leave." Hades looked back over his reports. Without looking, he fished out a stack of papers in the drawer to his right. Pink slips. He kept them on hand for just such occasions.

"The-" Charon breathed. Hades was always pulling this shit. "The hoist mechanism is jammed. I can't get it to work."

"Unjam it." Hades ordered.

Charon held a fist at the small of his back. "I tried."

"You failed." Hades rolled his eyes.

"Sir, I won't be able to load the next client in without it."

"You have hands." Hades argued. "What did you think we did before the invention of-"

"Sir," Charon hesitated. "He has no pallbearers."

With a coldness that surprised even himself, Hades stated, "That's not my problem. It's not my job."

"Well. It's not mine either." Charon threw his hands up in the air. "I quit."

Hades marched to the back of the building. Almost wishing to hear the normal sounds of quiet tears in the room over. This place was always full of soft crying and sometimes uncontrollable wailing. It only seemed to make his mood worse. They're all foolish. Crying over the inevitable. Death was inevitable. Sooner or later they would all come through here in a box. Assuming he passed this place onto his children.

When he had children.

If he had children.

Hades mood soured.

But the crying, yes. How much money did he spend on tissues every year? He clicked his mouth again and pushed open the double doors to the back of the parking lot.

A black hearse sat under a canopy. The back doors open and a metal gurney sized for a casket was tilting out of it at an odd angle. "Jammed hoist mechanism." Hades mumbled under his breath as he rolled his sleeves up and set about fixing the gurney.

"Fuck!" He yelled as the pliers slipped and pinched his skin instead. Red blood dripped down to the black pavement.

"H-hello?" A soft and uncertain voice greeted behind him.

"Main entrance is at the front." Hades informed dryly, picking up the pliers again.

"Mr. Theseus-"

"His visitation hasn't started yet." He checked his watch.

"Oh, I-I know. I just came to bring a flower arrangement for him. Or, well. I guess for his family. Because he's dead. What does he need them for." She laughed nervously before choking it back. "I'm Persephone." She bit her lip. "You know," She tapped her feet together. "From Persephone's Flower Arrangements." She gulped. "For all occasions."

Hades blinked and finally turned around. "Oh." His jaw dropped as did the pliers in his hand again. The sun light back lit her hair in such a way that it almost seemed pink. Her hair was tied up in a messy french braid. Hard work had done it's best to undo it. Her white cotton top had smears of dirt on it. The hem of her jeans frayed at the end from dragging on the ground, too long for her short frame.

She was perfect.

Something inside of him changed. Like a bubble bursting forth. He'd forgotten how to breath, but it didn't matter because she was breath itself. "P-P-Persephone." Hades stuttered. "From Persephone's Flower Arrangements." He held out his hand. "For all occasions." He finished in a daze. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"And you must be Hades." She smiled and shook his hand, suddenly self conscious of the dirt under her fingernails. "From Hades' Funeral Services."

* * *

 **AN: Sorry this is so short. This may be Part 1. Let me know if you want more/ would be interested in reading more of a story like this.**

 **Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

 **xoxo**

 **Goldie**


	29. Forever

**Summary:**

 **An ode to the new herb plant.**

* * *

 **Forever**

* * *

 _You said she's scared of me?_

 _I mean._

 _I don't see what she sees._

 _But maybe it's 'cause_

 _I'm wearing_

 _Your cologne._

" _Bad Guy" Billie Eilish_

* * *

You used to dream about forever. Not like the dreams of your youth-dreams of paybacks and "then they'll be sorry"'s, when everyone who had slighted you would rue the day. No. Late at night when the alcohol wore off and your mascara smeared against your pillow, your heart would quicken. Sleep evaded you. The empty space in your bed began to consume you. The lights were all off and you were cast in complete isolated darkness. You swaddled deep in your blanket and wondered what "forever" means. But more importantly what it means _to you_. No journey- no _forever_ , is the same. Forever is a long time. A long time is a concept you can grasp, but "forever" is always out of reach. This life, a burden of existence. Ongoing. Unending. Season's change, but you are a constant. Tied to your river. The running water changes. Every second is a new river, but you will never change. You began to sweat the responsibility. The sheets twisted around your calves as you tucked further into your bed, wringing out the dread of existence. I know because I too face this life. We all do sooner or later.

For me, I would spend those hours in contemplation, worried that in pleasing everyone, I lost myself. I had resigned myself to a forever that was not my own. Duty, honor, self-sacrifice, service. Those all made me believe that if I didn't get to be what I wanted, then that was all for the cause. I thought that in my suffering, it was serving a greater purpose. That it was my destiny to be dissatisfied. An honor to be some else's idea of a good life.

But there is no higher god and no greater good than being true to yourself.

Minthe, I understand your pain.

You can only be who you are. Your best self is the same as your worst. You are all that you can ever be and you stared into the black unknown of forever and wept.

It's easier to go into the darkness holding another hand. You became complacent. You got comfortable. You found a forever you could control- A forever you could always fit into. A forever that worked for you. But that's the funny thing about forevers; Some are shorter than others.

And then that gentle hand hold turned into an iron grip. You couldn't control it, but you tried to. You saw the metamorphosis in your partner and you tried to push back against the current. You saw your time closing in and I don't blame you. Others thought you became jealous of me. Ha.

We know better, don't we?

You were jealous of him. Jealous that he made progress. Like the river waters, he moved on. If you were being honest with yourself, you couldn't let him go. You couldn't bare to see him heal. Like an open wound you festered. You tied your forever with him like a sinking ship, didn't you? Those nights when you dreamt of forever, you soothed yourself to sleep thinking that you would always have him to fall back on. Hardened iron doesn't change. It breaks.

The thing about your forever is that it's yours. Your destiny is the only one you can control. Your fear and jealousy became your undoing. Not him. Not me. You sealed your destiny. You couldn't let go. You couldn't face the darkness of forever.

And now you never have to. At last, you got what you always wanted.

You finally changed. You grew roots. Now you're a part of Hades like never before.

You'll stay with the King of the Underworld, irrevocably.

Forever.

Don't worry, Minthe. I'll take good care of you. When I fertilize your soil every few weeks, I'll think of you fondly. You will not be forgotten. Without you, I wouldn't have found my new forever.


	30. Paper Faces on Parade

**Summary:**

 **Persephone goes to a Masquerade Ball on Olympus. Who will see find in the swarm of hidden people? Who will reveal themselves.**

* * *

Paper Faces on Parade

* * *

The clock in Olympus city center rang eight times. The sound permeated the car so that Persephone felt the bell's vibrations around her, through the layers of gauzy white fabric, to her skin, and deeper. Time. Forever. Eternity.

"Persephone?" Meg looked back. "Are you coming?" Her purple snakes blinked at the pink goddess too, their eyelashes curled and combed up with mascara. Alecto and Tisiphone waited at the door for them. Persephone didn't want to go, but when she found out that Meg had never been invited to a ball before, she decided to go for Meg's benefit. Now that she was here though, she couldn't find the will to make her feet move.

Persephone shook her head and looked up at Meg's shiny face, full of excitement. "Oh! We can't forget!" Persephone reached into the back seat and grabbed their masks. Persephone's mask was covered with the wings of white monarch butterflies. Lacy ribbons hung down the sides, with live butterflies clinging on as commanded.

"Oh goodness. We spent so much time making these this afternoon it would have been awful to forget them now." Meg strapped her mask on, being careful around her hair. They made a day of it. Spending more time with the furies made Persephone feel safer. They all too much enjoyed her company. It was nice to be welcomed into a close knit family. Meg's mask was a classic shape with dark purple tulle and lace embellishments. Two black horns curved up the sides, giving an eerie sense of dread, but they were covered in purple glitter, confusing the effect.

Persephone felt better when the mask was on. She felt like she could get by unnoticed. Hide from the world in plain sight. She grabbed Meg's hand. "This is gonna be fun." Meg blushed and her hair hummed at the small contact. "After you, my lady." Persephone giggled.

Meg curtsied then spun around in her black ball gown. She giggled, causing the other attendees to stare.

"You look amazing." Persephone squeezed her friend's hand. "They're just jealous."

"I know." Meg grinned. "That's kind of my thing." Together they entered into the masquerade ball.

* * *

Hades slinked his way out from the crowd of moving bodies to the bar. "Bourbon." He ordered. "Straight." Of all the parties Olympus threw, this was normally the one he most enjoyed. He spun around and leaned against the bar at all the masked bodies twirling in unison to the music. No one knowing whose hand they held. No one caring. It was all part of the game. A night of secrets and hidden identity. You could be whoever you wanted. You could be no one at all.

"And who ordered this tall, dark, and bitter drink?" A familiar smoky voice greeted him warmly. He turned to see a golden goddess in a lush ruby ball-gown with a smile sliding up the side of her face. Half her mask sprouted peacock feathers, the other side was etched with gold.

"I'd say it has more of a," Hades picked up the glass and held it to his nose, which was covered by a decadent paper mache mask, silver designs edged out a skull, complete with diamond teeth. "Hint of licorice and orange."

"I meant you, big blue." Hera poked his chest, a velvet tuxedo.. "You're usually in better spirits at this event." She tugged on his royal blue military sash.

Hades raised his eyebrow. "Have I?" He cocked his head to the side, his skull mask leering oddly back down at Hera. "Have I ever been in good spirits?"

Hera smacked her lips. _Yes_ , she wanted to say. _Yes,_ she wanted to show him the pictures she kept guarded in her dresser. Pictures of Persephone and Hades enjoying a stroll around his kingdom. It was the happiest she'd ever seen him. And truth be told, the happiest she'd seen Persephone in quite some time. Instead she just hummed. "Poor Hades." She rolled her eyes. "You know, if you're goal is to blend in and hide who you are, a skull mask is a bit on the nose, isn't it?"

"Okay, miss peacock in the bar with the attitude." Hades retorted, flicking one of the peacock feathers on Hera's mask.

Just then Eros walked in with his back to Hera and Hades. "Two-no three shots of Jager. You want one marg. Frozen? Nice." He shot finger guns. "And a martini for me." He spun around happily.

"Eros!" Hades yelled, stopping the love god in his tracks.

"Uh-oh." Eros pulled. "Um. No actually." He cleared his throat. "I'm uh, I'm not Eros." He pulled on a different voice and adjusted the straps on his paper mache mask.

"Okay, dingbat, explain the feathery wings." Hades scoffed.

"Damn it." Eros muttered.

"I have a bone to pick with you." Hades moved forward.

"Funny. I didn't have that on my schedule." Eros tried to skirt away.

"Do you think I would just let it go?" Red eyes shined through his mask. Casting red light through the crystal skull. "No one touches my car. No one. Not even your dear grandfather." He grabbed Eros' by his ruffled shirt front. "Do you know what happened to the last guy that tried to break into my car?"

"You let him off with a stern warning and a life lesson he'll never forget."

"Oh, he never forget it, that's for sure." Hades picked Eros up off the floor. Eros turned his head as he got pulled closer and closer to Hades' jagged teeth.

"Persephone!" Eros shouted, seeing a small pink goddess in white waltz briefly into view. "My you look stunning!" Persephone turned to see Eros collapse on the floor.

"Eros!" Persephone brightened and she skipped towards him, spinning as she did. White monarchs sprouted from her shoulders as she did.

"So. Cute." Eros melted. "How can you be so precious."

"How did you know it was me?" She batted her eye -ashes and her butterflies fluttered their wings.

"Literally no one radiates like you do, Persephone." Eros kissed her hand.

Persephone laughed as she walloped him into a hug. He spun in them in the air. "Girl. I have been trying to get a hold of you. Don't you answer your phone?"

"Oh." Persephone faded a little.

Hera watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. She turned to see a blue blur dash behind the bar. She scoffed. "I didn't realize you two were friends." She said towards Eros and Persephone pointedly. "I thought with what you did to Persephone you'd be more. . . enemies."

"I'd rather make friends than enemies." Persephone squished her face up against Eros'.

"Oh, please." Eros blinked with heart eyes. He unraveled Persephone and then reeled her back in. "You couldn't make an enemy if you tried."

Persephone sighed and leaned her head against Eros' arm. "I've had enemies before." She said matter of factly. "Before I buried them under my rose garden that is."

Hera coughed up her gin and tonic. "Excuse me?'"

Persephone shrugged nonchalantly. "You know the old saying. Keep your friends close and keep your enemy's decaying corpses as plant fertilizer." Persephone waited a moment, then barked out a laugh. "Ah, sorry. That's a joke I have with my flower nymphs. It doesn't play well with them either." She chuckled again and sighed.

"Oh." Hera smiled. "You were joking." Reassurance softened her up again and she took another sip from her glass. _Precious Persephone. So funny that one_.

"The bodies under my flower beds?" Persephone cocked her head. "Oh no, I wasn't joking about that." Eros stiffened. "Oh sure. How do you think I keep my rose buds looking so good all year?" Persephone enjoyed the unsettled twitch in Eros' expression. "You see, death plays a part of life. A very big part. For instance these guys are instrumental to me." Persephone spoke animatedly and lifted up her arm. A swarm of beetles erupted from her palm down her arm. "Carrion beetles. They're flesh eating beetles that aid in the decaying process, helping to transfer nutrients into the soil. Aren't they so cute?" She held her hand up to Eros who backed away disgusted.

"Yeesh, Perse."

"What? Their harmless as long as you're alive." The beetles dropped from her arm and began to scitter across the floor. "Oh. Hey. Come back here. Where are you going?" the line of beetles turned the corner around the bar.

"Hey, you can't be back here." The bartender warned. "Oh what the hell are those?" He cursed at the swarm of insects. "Fuck they don't pay me enough for these things."

"Sorry, you must have something that smells like death-" Persephone stopped short. She bent down over the bar. "Oh. Hello.. What are you doing back here?"

The king of the underworld was squatting next to the c02 tank. The carrion beetles crawled up his shiny oxford shoes.

"Aw look at that." Persephone grinned. "They really like you." She snapped her fingers and the insects turned into soft flower petals instead. "Sorry about that. I know most people get weirded out by bugs. I forget sometimes."

"It-it's alright." Hades bumped his head on the top of the bar and his mask fell off.

Persephone blushed, acutely aware of how close they were to one another. "Oh, Hades." Persephone gulped. "S-sory. I didn't realize-." She held her breath. "What are you doing back here?"

Hades stood up to his full height again and secured his mask back on. "Um." He faltered. His brain scrambled for some kind of answer that would make sense.

"Were you hiding?" Persephone teased.

"No." Hades shook his head. "If I were hiding, you'd never find me." He paused. "Unseen one." He cracked a sorry grin. "No? Ugh."

"He was checking to see if they had any IPAs back there." Eros interjected for him. He winked at Hades knowingly.

"Oh." Persephone nodded, deciding to drop it.

"So what was this about carrion beetles?" Hades asked curiously. "I'd. . . actually like to learn more about that."

"Really?" Persephone beamed. No one ever wanted to talk about decomposition. No one liked it when she did. Which was a pity, because it was one of her favorite things to talk about.

"Yeah." Hades could tell past Persephone's extravagant mask how eager she was to share her excitement with someone. "I want to know about how those connect with your work. It sounds fascinating."

"What does?" A red antelope entered the room. Two long horns protruded from a black mask, matching the ladies deep V neckline dress. She moved like a tiger. Claws out. Territorial.

"Just. . . insects." Persephone crossed her arms self consciously. She'd never be that tall or thin. Persephone wished to fly away. Like the butterflies on her mask, flutter off to different skies. She heard in the distance the gong of the clock tower again. Time ticking. She grabbed Eros's hand. "I need to talk to you." She tried to convey with her expression her urgency, but it must not have translated well.

Eros only blinked at her, then at the new red antelope. Then back to Persephone. Then up at Hades. Before he could open his mouth a purple goddess walked in.

"There you are." Meg leaned her head in then skipped over to Persephone. "Is he bothering you?" Her snakes hissed at Eros.

"No. No." Persephone shook her head. She did need to talk to Eros. But it would have to wait. "Find me later." She whispered into Eros' ear. "Hera." She bowed politely and grasped her hand. She eyed her meaningfully, then folded a piece of paper into the Queen's palm. Then Meg escorted Persephone out of the room. Meg made a 'HM' sound and pointedly turned away from Hades and Minthe. Her snakes followed suit.

"Come on. Let's dance." Meg stalked off, carting Persephone with her.

Minthe sidled up to Hades. "Wow. Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum are kind of cute together. Pitiful creatures. I'm glad they can console each other for their bad tastes."

Hades removed himself from her awkward angled embrace. "Tadpole." He sighed. "Don't."

"Don't what?" Minthe raised her eyebrow.

"Hey party people." Zeus walked in with a ridiculous white tuxedo. He didn't bother wearing a mask. "Was that Persephone I saw walking out?" He eyed his brother a hint of ruefulness on his tongue. He slid his eyes over to Minthe. "Ah." That explains it. He caught Hades eye and rolled his eyes. A public relationship with a nymph. Not just a nymph. A river nymph. Not just a river nymph. Minthe. The worst. Hades was really underselling his status as King, which then undervalues his worth and Poseidon's. Whatever. Hades had everything lined up. The only girl he ever truly wanted. Offered to him, not just once, but on a daily basis. And he lets her walk away every time. Pathetic. Obviously Hades doesn't have game. Whatever. Hades had wasted every opportunity. That was on him. Zeus couldn't swing it home for him.

Zeus saw his wife and gasped. "My!" He stepped towards Hera. "Who is this radiant being of love and devotion?" He grabbed her hands and pulled her onto him. "Don't tell my wife, but you are absolutely the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen."

"I honestly can't tell if you're joking or not anymore." Hera removed her mask to kiss Zeus on the lips. "Hello, my dear."

"What's this?" Zeus grabbed hold of the paper in Hera's hand.

"Oh. I don't know." Hera tried to snatch it back but Zeus held it too high for her to reach.

"Oh, are you hiding something from me now?" Zeus eyes delighted in the prospect. "Oh. It's just a map of the underworld." He handed it back to Hera disappointed.

"I told you I didn't know what it was." Hera shrugged. "Persephone handed it to me just now." She waved her hand on Zeus' chest. "I don't keep secrets from my husband. What kind of marriage is that?" She added with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Persephone?" Hades held his hand out. "Why would she hand you this map."

Minthe cleared her throat, recognizing it immediately. "Oh, like Hera said. It's nothing. It's probably nothing." She tried to grab it from Hades. "Just one of those informational leaflets. They're everywhere, you know." Sweat dripped down the back of her neck. "Maybe she mixed it up with something else. She's very dumb, you know. Raised in the mortal realm and all." She kept trying to take it away.

Hades closed his mouth. "Why do you care so much?"

"Listen, I can throw this piece of trash away for you. I'm just trying to be helpful." Minthe shrugged.

Hades clicked his mouth. "Helpful." He muttered after a moment then re-examined the map. "Zeus." He turned to his brother. "If you were to follow the directions on this map, do you know where it would take you?" He handed the paper back, over Minthe's grasping hands. "See here. There's a red arrow and an x mark."

Zeus studied it for a fraction of a second. "Why, that's pointing to Tartarus."

"Mhm." Hades tapped his shoe. "Funny." His voice grew eerily quiet. "How Persephone has a map directing to Tower 4 in her possession. What a coincidence then that she ended up there the first day she visited Hades Headquarters."

"What a coincidence." Minthe stepped back. Her ears flattened out.

"She said she got lost." Hades shook her head. "She was lying and I didn't understand why." He pointed his finger at Minthe. "She was protecting you." He stepped forward.

"You don't know-"

"This mark is done with a red Absyll .5 width marker with an angled tip. There are only three markers like that in all of Hades towers, because a certain someone, special ordered them two years ago when they got drunk at an office party. One of these markers was stepped on and broke, staining the carpet in my office. The other two are still at your desk." He leaned over Minthe. "She wasn't _lost_." He tossed the map at Minthe's feet. "She was lead there." Minthe shivered. "Let me guess. You were being _helpful_ then too."

"So we're just gonna go." Zeus motioned to him and Hera. "This seems more of a you two thing." He trailed off and he and Hera poofed out of the room.

* * *

Eros spotted Persephone dancing in the crowd. A flash of fabric and movement. Then obscured again as the dancers spun in time. Unlike Zeus and Hera, Eros had stayed for the whole thing, loudly sipping on his frozen margarita in the corner. Putting people together was his job, but watching people tear apart was his guilty pleasure. Like a train wreck, he couldn't look away. She argued about Persephone's reputation. Hades would hear nothing of it, "This conversation has nothing to do with her."

"It has everything to do with her."

"Do you know what kind of liability you put Hades Co. under that day?"

"I see how you look at her."

"I've been trying to do what's best. I wanted to make us work. To give us a real shot."

"I did too!" Minthe screeched finally.

Eros slurped on his margarita. Minthe took a deep breath. Hades gazed into the distance past the walls. They used the past tense already to describe their relationship.

"I didn't know the shades would attack her." Minthe admitted quietly.

Hades shook his head. "You put her in danger. You have had nothing nice to say about her since you saw her in the tabloid." He turned to Minthe, who looked more like a sad memory now to him. "And she has done nothing to you except show you grace and mercy."

"I thought you said this conversation has nothing to do with her."

Hades took off his mask. It fell to the floor with a solid thud. "The conversation is over." Hades tilted Minthe's face up, tenderly. "So are we." As he left the bar he called over his shoulder, "I'll call you a cab home."

Eros nearly applauded. Minthe kicked Hades' mask to Eros. "Did you enjoy the show, lover boy?"

Eros caught the skull gracefully. "Oh, no." He shook his head and stood up. "I did enjoy it. But it wasn't a show." He made to grab Minthe's hand but she flicked away from him. "Come on, dear. What did you think the end-game of this relationship was? You should probably be glad."

Minthe barked out a laugh. "The fuck you mean I should be glad?"

"Most nymphs end their relationship with gods in death." He slurped on his drink. "You're alive aren't you?" He grinned. "That's more than most can say. If they still had lips to speak."

"Are you threatening me?"

Now Eros laughed, "Girl. It's not me you should be worried about." He blew Minthe a kiss and flew out. "Be safe out there." He called towards Minthe before turning his new sights on finding Persephone again and giving her all the juicy gossip. And didn't she mention she had something to talk to him about too?

* * *

"I'll just be a moment." Persephone shooed Meg away and closed the bathroom door. She walked over to the line of sinks and hunched over the basin. She untied her mask and set it on the counter. She let the water run and she flicked her fingers under the stream and pressed her damp palms onto her face. The light flickered overhead.

"Hello?" Persephone peered behind her fingers. "Is someone here?" She looked back in the mirror at the reflection of the other stalls. The air felt charged, as if she could shock someone with the tip of her fingertip.

The stall closest to here opened slowly. Minthe walked out and pulled out a tube of lipstick from her cleavage, stepping to the mirror next to Persephone.

"The sex is always better in the car." She stated, like they were halfway through another conversation. "He gets off on it. It's a different energy about him. That and the dogs don't bother us." Minthe barked out a laugh. "But you know all about that, don't you?" A smile spread up like a wicked vine. "Don't you?" She emphasized, then she leaned over, bent at the waist to come eye level with Persephone. "You don't, do you?"

Persephone couldn't find any words to throw back at her. What could she say?

Minthe just laughed and continued with her makeup. "Poor Persephone." She hummed and dried off her hands.

Before Persephone could find her tongue another stall door opened. Hestia came forward in a simple white gown. She paid no attention to Minthe. "Persephone." She greeted warmly while she began to wash her hands. "Such a pleasure to see you again. I never got confirmation that you'll be able to attend the next meeting. It's a recurring one so if you hit accept it'll populate for the rest of eternity. Our meetings are very important."

"What calendar invite?" Persephone furrowed her eyebrows. Hestia was talking so fast.

"Oh, but you haven't sworn in yet. Well, we can do that tonight, if you'd like."

"What?" Persephone backed away.

"That means you'll probably have to quit your job at Hades inc for the time being."

"Why?" Persephone didn't understand. "I thought I had time."

"Well, what's there to think about, dearie?" Hestia dried off her hand. "You'll have plenty of time. After you've sworn in." The chimes of the clock. Echoes beneath her skin. "You'll have to stop seeing Hades though, that's for sure."

"I don't understand." Persephone's heart raced. "What does Hades have to do with-"

A purple hand clasped around Persephone's shoulder. Thick veins. A violin shrieked in Persephone's head. Her flower crown dried up. "Come on, Persie." Apollo smirked. "We're just looking out for you."

"I told you." Persephone closed her eyes. "Never to touch me again."

"Ah, why are you freaking out?" Apollo held his hands up innocently. "I've just been trying to talk to you."

"In the women's restroom?" Persephone screeched.

"Calm down. There are people here." Apollo gestured to Hestia and Minthe who hadn't left yet.

"I will NOT calm down." She spun away from him.

"Alright, alright." Apollo obliged. "I just want to dance. Just one dance." He lunged forward and grabbed her wrist.

Persephone memorized the ugly feeling of his hand on her. She closed her eyes again. Her mouth hung open into a scowl. When she looked back up, red orbs clouded over her pupils. "You want to dance?" Persephone whispered, but the words echoed back ominously. "Fine." She hissed. "Let's dance." She flipped her arm over, removing his grasp on her then flung Apollo across the bathroom into the back stall.

"You fucking little-"

"What?" Persephone cocked her head to the side. "Bitch? Prude? Slut?"

"You're just a flower goddess." Apollo spat. "You're nobody." He shoved himself forward. "You're pretty flowers in the springtime. You bring no meaning. You're not necessary. No one needs you. No one depends on you. You're nothing. You should be grateful for what I've done for you. You should be thanking me. I could have helped you. You could have been somebody with me. You're nothing but a petals."

Persephone smiled cooly.

"Careful, Persephone." Apollo hissed. "Flowers get trampled on."

"That's the thing about flowers, isn't it." Persephone began to pace, walking first in front of Minthe. "They're all anyone notices. They're pretty. Their unique. They're delicate. Flowers is what draws the eye. But flowers are just a means to the end." Her smile froze in place. "They're a distraction." She took one step towards Apollo. "What you should be paying attention to are the roots." The floor tiles split apart as roots lifted from the underground wrapped around Apollo, tying his arms and legs up. Wrapping around his chest and pinning him, on his knees to the floor. He struggled against the roots, but resistance was futile.

"Let me go!" He yelled.

"No." Persephone laughed. "Not until you apologize."

"For what?" Apollo shook his head, then roots found his way to his chin and cranked his head up into an awkward angle. "What? Are you gonna hurt me? Are you gonna torture me? Kill me?" He laughed, the sound getting choked out. "You can't hurt me. I'm more powerful than you. The people love me. They've never even heard of you."

Persephone's eyes glowed red. "I wouldn't be sure of that." She twirled towards him. "Haven't you been paying attention. I'm not going to hurt you. What's the point in that? You're just a distraction. No. If I have to get through to you, I need to go to the root of the problem." She hummed and slipped out of her shoes. "You don't listen to me. You don't need me." She traced her finger along Apollo's jawline. "You're a beloved god. With many worshippers." Persephone nodded. "Tell me, Apollo. What's a god without believers?"

"No!" Apollo twisted, trying to break free.

"Maybe if your worshippers beg you for mercy, maybe then you'll apologize. Maybe then you'll understand what you've done."

"You can't." Apollo sneered. "You don't have the power to. You're here. You can't do anything in the mortal realm."

"Oh silly." Persephone bent down. "You haven't been paying attention have you." She grinned maliciously. "It's all about the roots." She straightened up suddenly, very professional, pacing towards the mirror. "Under the surface, connecting all life, are roots. They're everywhere. I'm everywhere." She turned back to Apollo. "Now. Let's start in Athens, shall we?"

"You're. . . nothing. You wouldn't."

"You don't know me." Persephone sneered. "There's a reason they call me death bringer." She backed up, keeping her eyes on Apollo. "Do you know why I wear white?" She cocked her head to the side again. "You're about to find out."

She stepped over the bulging roots gathered at Apollo's feet. The hem of her dress began to stain with a dark red substance.

"You have a lot of followers in Athens." Persephone mentioned. "This might take awhile."

"No." Apollo shook his head. Unbelieving. Persephone twirled around. Her dress darkening. The blood stains rising up her dress. "No."

"Do you hear them?" Persephone grinned. "Are they calling out for you? Where is their god? Why has he forsaken them?" Persephone pouted. "Shall I go to Sparta next? Isn't that where Hyacinth is from? You must have strong roots there."

"NOOOO!" Apollo twitched erratically. Persephone laughed and laughed. Overwrought with bloodlust. She caught herself in the mirror. Her white dress now entirely red with the blood of Apollo's followers.

"No." Persephone muttered. "No." She stared back at her reflection shocked and dismayed by the horror of what she'd become. At what she had done. The blood on her hands. The blood on her dress. Innocent life. Mortals she was supposed to look out for. "NO!" She screamed.

The lights flickered.

And she was staring at her reflection through her fingers again. The tap was still running. Minthe and Hestia and Apollo were gone. No blood stain on her dress.

"Well that was interesting." A goddess appeared in the mirror behind her. This new goddess donned in a black plain dress and netting over her face.

"Wh-what was that." Persephone breathed. "What just happened. Who are you?" Persephone backed away slowly. Her heart still raced.

"Sorry about that. These parties can be so dull sometimes." She outstretched a dark hand. "I'm Eris. Goddess of strife and discord." She leaned towards Persephone. "You just have so much swirling inside you right now. I couldn't resist to see what would happen if you. . . let loose."

"I didn't do it." Persephone blinked. "I didn't do any of it." She folded over into her hands. "It was just a trick. You're a monster."

"Not a trick." Eris shrugged. "An opening. A favor. Most people don't see the consequences of their actions until it's too late. I'm not the monster." She laughed. "People like you," Eris pointed at Persephone. "You're the most dangerous. Keeping everything bottled in. Keeping everything to yourself." She grinned. "I like people like you. Like a volcano. One day you'll just-" She clapped her hands together. Eris disappeared. Persephone was alone again.

* * *

_  
Darkened in disposition and in color Hades stormed off down the hall. Fellow guests made way for him. Perfect posture. Unsavory demeanor. Tall as an ogre. Even drunk off wine and music, the party goers knew to avoid the masked stranger, even if they didn't know it was Hades. He couldn't hear himself think the music bumped so loudly, portraits shook on their hooks. The hallway got narrower. The space given by the crowd closed in. The ceiling leaned towards him. The music became overwhelming as if he could see it, filling up the crevices in his vision.

His foot slipped. A sharp thack, ping, rolling. He stepped on a marble. The lights dimmed. The music stopped. All he could hear was the rolling marble across the wood floor. It rolled into another corridor, under a partially open door. Hades followed it, absently. He knew it wasn't simply a marble. Compelled by curiosity, he opened the door.

The marble had stopped in the middle of the room. As he bent down to pick, his fingers gently clasping around the sphere. An old withered hand met his.

"Give it." A voice that matched the hand said. "This is not a jewel for you to keep."

"I would never." Hades spoke softly. "Here." He offered the eyeball to one of the Three Fates. The bumbling weird sisters that controlled the fates of mortals. The seers into the future. The eyeball he found rolling along the floor was their shared eye.

"Curious." Her sister joined her side. "You never come to see us."

Hades opened his mouth, but the third sister appeared and grabbed Hades hand. "We know why you do not visit us. We know why you visit us this evening." Hades never came to see them because his concern was only after the thread was cut. Not when or how or why. He could care less about their work. It made no difference to him.

"I -" Hades blinked. He didn't have any intention of visiting the three fates. He was just trying to find. . . Persephone. He didn't plan this.

"No one does." One of them said, as if answering a question never asked.

"I'm sorry. I just got turned around and walked in. I didn't mean to-"

Before he could back away the tallest of them grabbed his hand. "You want to know your fate." A statement. Hades looked back at the door towards the party.

"I should really-" When he turned back the sisters were gone. The room was cast in shadows. The light of the party no longer illuminated through the doorway. "H-hello?"

* * *

Eros called for Persephone as she danced with the furies and half of Olympus in the ballroom. An up tempo number and he couldn't get her attention. "Ugh." He shook his head and someone else caught his eye. "Oh! Mommy!" He flew over to Aphrodite. She was decked out in a black and white number with a lavish mask fully loaded with feathers. He could recognize his mother anywhere. "You will not believe what I just-" He blinked at the nymph standing next to his mother. He'd never seen this friend before. His eyes squinted. "Do I know you?" He took a step forward. Something in his chest hurt. "You. . . something about you-" He couldn't place it. Like a dream that had been forgotten. He stared into the Nymph's eyes. A longing that had been making tears in his heart began to rip at the seems. Something wet sprouted in his eyes. "Sorry. I don't know-. I forgot what I was going to say."

"Hi." She breathed and the wind got knocked out of Eros. Psyche.

"Butterfly?" Eros whispered his pet name for the mortal that stole his heart. His fingers out stretched to her.

"Eros!" Aphrodite yelled up as Eros's wings spread wide and launched him up into the air. Away from her. Away from his mother. The knife in her hands. The betrayal. The longing. The love. The pain. The guilt. The anger. It swirled around him like a kaleidoscope.

"Hey, rose colored boy." Persephone snapped him out of it. She was staring down at him, sitting up on the rafters, her feet dangling towards the crowd below. "Have a seat."

"I-I thought you were dancing." Eros muttered and sat next to Persephone on the beam.

Persephone shook her head. "No. I gave my mask to someone else that had lost theirs. I don't much feel like dancing." She wrapped her arms around her knees. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Is this about Hades?" Eros guessed.

She shook her head, a petal dropped from her crown. "No." She smiled, but she wasn't happy. "It's about Apollo. It's about Hestia. It's my mother." Persephone took in a deep breath. "I'm tired of carrying this burden by myself. I'm afraid of what will happen when I can't - what I'll do when I can't control it any longer."

* * *

The lights dimmed in the ballroom. The frantic uptempo mellowed out to slower ballads. Couples joined hands, their movements less orchestrated by structured dances. Persephone leaned up against the wall. Her thoughts swimming with the conversation she'd had with Eros. Her confession. She should have gone to Eros sooner. Fertility goddess. That ache inside of her, the longing to be touched. She thought those were wayward wants to be shoved aside. But they were a part of her. To deny it would be to deny who she is. Persephone wanted to be herself. Her own goddess. Not the mask that others see her as.

"Well, aren't you the prettiest wall-flower." Persephone turned to see Hades, an odd smile under his skull mask. "I've been looking for you."

"You have?" Persephone cocked her head to the side.

"Would you like to dance?" He held out a gloved hand to her. "I've been dying to ask you all evening."

* * *

Hera wormed her way up to see Eros. Her long dress slipping between the beams. He was still hanging out in the rafters.

"Thinking about Psyche?" She asked warmly. He sighed and nodded his head silently. "Are you going to forgive her?"

He shrugged his shoulders and his wings shrugged too. "Part of me does." He muttered with his face on the side of his arm. "Part of me never wants to look at her again." A tear rolled down his cheek. "Part of me would die if I never could."

Hera pulled a loose curl back behind his ear with motherly affection. "She was scared."

"So she was going to kill me." He barked out a laugh. "Or try to."

"She didn't know what you were. You didn't tell her the truth." Hera spoke sincerely. "She knew you were hiding something and she became frightened. Her family fed her lies and she couldn't trust anyone."

"She could trust me." Eros defended.

"No. She couldn't." Hera kissed the top of his head. "You took her away from her family as a monster. You lied about who you were. When her family told her you were dangerous, what was she supposed to believe?"

"She said she loved me." Eros argued.

"And doesn't she?" Hera smiled. "Aren't you the expert?"

Eros gave her a look.

"I love my husband." She stared off into the distance. "I love him dearly. But that doesn't mean we don't have problems."

"You ever try to kill him?"

"Frequently." Hera grinned and she patted Eros' hand. "You'll figure it out. If you love her, if you want to start again, you better do it soon. Morta'ls lives are so very fragile and Hades doesn't believe in 'take-backsies.'"

He never really gave much thought to Psyche's mortality. How much time did she have left? How much time had he wasted already?

"Speaking of." Hera leaned out across the crowd. "Have you seen Hades? I wanted to speak with him before he left."

Eros shrugged. "I don't know. If you can find his mask though, you can probably find him. I picked it up after he broke up with Minthe. Then I think I shoved it at my mother when I saw. . . when I saw _her._ "

* * *

Persephone stared at Hades' hand offering to dance like a snake. She'd be lying if she wasn't thinking the same thing. Hadn't she been dreaming of dancing with Hades? "But. . . Minthe?"

"Minthe who?" He paused. "Oh yes. Her. Well. That's over now." He leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Your little trick worked." His face so close to hers, her breath stopped.

"What trick?" Persephone raised her nose in the air, trying to stop her brain from short circuiting.

"The map." Hades grinned for a flash of a second then his expression turned more serious.

"That wasn't a trick." Persephone crossed her hands in front of herself. "She-." Persephone began. She remembered seeing Minthe's horrified reflection in the mirror during Eris' vision. "I shouldn't have believed her. I'm too gullible."

Hades frowned, but his eyes smiled. "I'm sorry about that. She won't be a problem for you t-for us- any longer."

So they had broken up. Persephone bit her lip, not sure if she felt more ecstatic or guilty. "Are you alright?" Persephone asked, finally accepting Hades hand, the offer to dance. He beamed like a kid on his birthday, and led her to the ballroom floor.

"Minthe and mine's relationship has been dying for awhile now. It's no surprise." He placed his hand on her waist. Persephone placed her hand on his shoulder, but should couldn't hold that reach as they started dancing, and she slid her hand down to his chest.

"No. Not that." Persephone shook his head. "You seem different."

"Oh?" Hades cocked his head, looking odd with his skull mask blinking back, reflecting light in the jewels. "Perhaps because I'm finally getting what I want. Not sitting idly by anymore." He spun Persephone around.

"I understand." Persephone nodded and then circled back into Hades arms. "I'm slowly starting to figure that out for myself. I've been letting other people tell me what's best for me for so long, I thought I wanted the same thing as them." Persephone sighed and leaned her head on his chest. Hades smoothly caressed her hair and drug his hand down her back. "But what do _you_ want?" She looked up at him.

"Is that the problem?" Hades pulled Persephone to the side. "Have I not made myself clear?"

"What?" Persephone blinked.

Hades eyes flicked up to the second floor then back to Persephone in ernest. "Come on." He grabbed her wrist.

Persephone flinched but obeyed. This was Hades afterall. He walked quickly, nearly jogging. Persephone had to hold on to him just to keep up.

"You're going too fast." She breathed heavily.

"I've made a complete idiot out of myself. From the moment I saw you I've been doing this all wrong."

"Doing what?" Persephone tried to pull her arm free but he wasn't paying any attention.

"This is the problem. I've been a coward." Nestled away from the party, in the lonely part of the garden Hades finally stopped. "I've made a right fool of myself. With this whole situation."

"Hades-"

"I'm not going to pretend any longer." Hades lowered himself down to her level. Red eyes shown out of his mask. "You asked me earlier what I wanted." He took a deep breath. "It's you."

* * *

"Aphrodite." Hera called. "You look lovely." She kissed both of her cheeks. "Mwah-mwah."

"I know." Aphrodite beamed. "You look like you always have." Aphrodite took a moment to appraise Hera. "Like a million bucks."

"Don't be rude, Aphrodite." Hera rolled her eyes. There had always been an unspoken rivalry between the two of them. The most gorgeous and beautiful goddess in Olympus. Forever blessed with beauty and youth. One over love, one over marriage. Two sides of the same coin. Fertility goddesses. But their differing views would never bring them eye to eye on anything. Except one.

"We need to talk about Persephone." Aphrodite twirled a finger through her hair. "I just spoke to Zeus. She's not well."

Hera was completely caught off guard with this news. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he talked to Eros. And Eros talked to Persephone." Aphrodite listed off on her fingers. "Apparently she feels trapped."

"Trapped? By what?" She hoped _Hades_ was not the next thing out of Aphrodite's annoyingly perfect juicy lips.

"By maidenhood." Aphrodite's eyes gleamed. "Word around the block is she doesn't want to live eternity as a virgin anymore. I think she needs our help."

"Your help." Hera raised her eyebrow. "Aren't you the one that locked her in Hades' car, shipping her off into the hand of a stranger in the underworld?"

"The past is the past, darling." Aphrodite shrugged. "I like to live in the present. And presently, there's a young girl that wants to be in love." She battered her long thick set of eyelashes. "Who knows, maybe she wants to be married. Have a family." She nudged Hera's arm. "But most importantly. She's very vulnerable right now."

"And Zeus told you all this?" Hera scoffed.

Aphrodite nodded.

"Ugh." Hera sighed. "I think you're right. I knew something was off with Persephone for a long time. I did what I could. I begged Demeter to let her come to Olympus."

"Whoa. You talked to Demeter?" Aphrodite loved the juicy gossip. "How long has it been? Four years?" It wasn't widely known that they had a fallen out, but Aphrodite kept tabs on all the relationship in Olympus. Hera wasn't the only one that had stopped talking to Demeter.

"Give or take." Hera pulled her hair up. "But Persephone needed help. Oh!" She nearly forgot why she came over to Aphrodite to begin with. "Do you have Hades' mask?"

A blank stare greeted her.

"Skull shaped. Very sparkly." Hera added.

"Oh!" Aphrodite hummed. "Well, I think I gave it too. . ."

* * *

" _You asked me earlier what I wanted." He took a deep breath. "It's you."_

Persephone couldn't feel her face anymore. Everything went numb. This was too much.

"From the first sight of you, you're all he-I could think about." He touched her arm gently. "I've done nothing but fuck it up since. I don't. . . I'm not great with women." He laughed, at an inside joke to himself. "You scare me, Persephone."

He leaned in closer. His lips at her nose, then he angled off and kissed her cheek. "And I like it." He muttered into her deepening blush.

Oh no. Persephone couldn't breath. This was too easy. All she had to do was tilt her head and she would kiss the king of the underworld. Wasn't this what she wanted to? To wrap her arms around him, call him "mine", find out what his tongue feels like inside her mouth.

But then the choice was made for her and dark blue lips crashed onto hers. After the shock wore off, she found herself wrapping her hands in his hair. He grunted in approval. His lips smiled onto hers. Then she yelped as they both hit the ground. Hades hovered over her. Persephone propped herself up on her elbows. Isn't this what she wanted? Remove Minthe. Take Hades. Kiss Hades. Make . . . love. . . to Hades. She wrapped her leg around him, pressing that yearning ache against him. Her body began to move on it's own volition before her mind could catch up. This was all so fast.

She turned her face away to catch her breath and Hades began sucking on her neck, toying with the straps on her dress. His other hand clasped on hers. She blinked and watched curiously in the moonlight as a carrion beetle crawled across her finger. It waddled off into the bushes, away from them.

Persephone closed her eyes and clenched her hands into fists. "No." She leaned away, her voice full of grief. Something inside her shattered. When she opened her eyes again, they were glowing red, taking over the white space.

"Kore!" Hades shouted. But it was coming from a distance. Not the man currently sucking on her shoulder.

"Fuck." The Hades on top of her muttered. Before he could shuffle off of her, Persephone slammed her palms on either side of his face. In a fluid charged movement, Persephone snapped the mask off. A hundred jewels popped out and scattered onto the ground.

The real Hades rounded the corner then just in time to see his brother on top of Persephone. The magic broken. Zeus sighed into the night. "Okay, listen. I was just trying to help-"

A fury he'd rarely felt welled up inside of Hades. But before he could do anything, Persephone's rage erupted first.

* * *

One of the EMT's placed a warm cup of tea into Persephone's hands. She adjusted the foil blanket around her shoulders and knees. Her toes clutched the edge of the ambulance's bumper. A shiver ran down her spine. No one would look her in the eyes. Not that she wanted them too. She should be alone. What could she say besides "sorry."

"Hello."

Persephone looked up as Hades walked closer to the light of the ambulance. A blanket similar to hers wrapped around his shoulders. Dark smudges stained his face. Rips and tears ruined his suit. She frowned and pulled her blanket tighter. "Is it really you?" She asked suspiciously.

He paused, sensing her reluctance. "Ask me something only I would know." If he could turn back time and make this whole night go away he would. Now they had to pick up the pieces and Persephone shouldn't have to do it alone.

"Hmm." Persephone thought for a moment, searching through their brief history together. Light spots of memory. "What did you tell me in Tartarus." She looked up at him. "When you spoke in my home language. What did you say?"

Hades sat on the edge next to her. "I am a terrible king."

Persephone closed her eyes. A tear fell down her cheek and onto the warming blanket. It was Hades. Her Hades. They sat side by side on the back of the ambulance. A gap between them.

"How many people are hurt?" She trembled. This was the question she needed answered most, the answer she feared above all.

"Just one." Hades leaned back.

Persephone turned to him concerned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Hades held his hand up. "And so is Zeus." He barked out a dark laugh. "He'll live."

"Eris tried to warn me." Persephone took a sip of tea. "At least no one died this time."

Hades eyed her curiously, but let it rest for another time. Silence fell between them as they watched people square off parts of the mansion, lining areas with caution tape. The majority of guests had already been evacuated.

"I'm sorry." Hades spoke the simplest words that had volumes behind it. "I should have-"

"It's not your fault." Persephone shook her head. "I know that."

"But-"

"Shhh." Persephone held her hand up.

This wasn't about Hades. Not really. Hades selfishly wanted to apologize to insert himself in the narrative, where he never belonged to begin with. He recognized this and changed the topic. "How did you figure it out?"

Persephone smiled for the first time. "My lovely carrion beetles. They're attracted to death, you know." She adjusted the blanket and looked over at Hades. "They wanted nothing to do with the masked Hades. Neither did I, it turns out."

"The bugs." Hades blinked. "You knew it wasn't really me because of the bugs?"

She nodded then stared into her empty teacup. "They never lie." Another moment of silence passed. This time they watched as ruble was pulled away from the back side of the mansion. Carted off in large trucks.

"What a weird night." Hades exhaled and rubbed his forehead. "Honestly, this wasn't even the strangest part." He waved at the consequences of Persephone's anger. She looked at him curiously.

"I ran into the Three Fates." He stated, looking past everything. "They showed me something. And I still don't quite understand it."

"Was it the ground opening up and swallowing two kings and a handful of unlucky party goers? Because I think I got that mystery pretty much solved. It was the Spring Goddess, in the garden, with an imposter."

"No." Hades smiled at her attempt at light-heartedness. "No. There were three trees. One on a hill. One by a river. And One was in the shade. . ." He started then faltered not sure how to continue. "Ah. It was nothing."

"What is it?" Persephone turned to him now. Enjoying for the moment, that the spotlight wasn' t on her.

"First they were trees. Then I saw three houses. One by a lake. One on a mountain.. And one in a valley." Hades saw it. As if it were real. He could see the siding. Smell the air. Feel the wind.

"Then what?"

"It's stupid. I don't know what it means." He lied. He looked up at Persephone's wide eyes and continued on. "The first two trees faded in time. Withered. Their fruit was seedless. Their soil unwatered. But the tree in the shade grew stronger. It thrived."

"And the houses?" Persephone edged closer.

"Time wore on them all. Termites rotted the wood. Paint chipped. The roof shingles fell apart. Storms cracked the foundations. Except for the house in the valley. It withstood time, where the others faded." Hades gulped.

"What do you think it means?" Persephone was practically leaning on him.

"I-I don't know." Hades looked at his hands.

"You're lying."

Hades sighed. And looked down at Persephone. "In time, perhaps thousands of years from now mortals may forget about the gods." Hades said slowly at the level of a whisper. He dared not speak any louder. "But they will never forget death. They can't avoid it."

Eris's vision in the bathroom. The words she had said in righteous anger. _What's a god without believers?_

Persephone bit her lip. Hades began to apologize again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"No." Persephone wrapped her arm around his.

"I scared you." Hades sighed.

"No." She shook her head. "I'm the girl that laughs when the monstrous gatekeeper of the underworld licks my face, remember?"

Hades grinned and patted Persephone's hand on his arm. "Well. It-it just made me think regardless of what it means. That I shouldn't take my immortality for granted. I have this very long life and what does it all mean if I don't - if I don't have someone I love to-" He stopped. "I don't like being alone. It took me 2,000 years to figure that out. I don't want to spend another 2,000 years wasting my time with people who make me unhappy."

Persephone gazed out again. "Your brother loves you." She said with no amount of malice in her voice.

"What?"

"Zeus." Persephone swallowed his name down. "He's a fucking idiot, but he loves you. I don't know what the hell he was thinking. I mean, I think I do, but like what the fuck was his end game with that going to be? It's not like we-" Persephone shook her head. "Regardless." She sighed. "I've been giving it some thought." She flicked her eyes up at Hades and then back out. "I really wanted it to be you." She confessed. "I should have figured it out a lot sooner. But I really wanted it to be you." She set her teacup down, crossed her arms and breathed out from the depths of her chest. "It's strange to hear from a stranger in the lips of someone you care about that you're wanted. It's stranger to kiss those lips, that belong to another." She hopped off the side of the ambulance. "I'm tired of keeping things in. I'm tired of secrets. I'm tired of not knowing who I can trust. So I'll start." She turned back to Hades. "I have a crush on you. A really big stupid dumb crush that I've been trying to keep at bay for awhile now. I'm very confused about who I am and my place in the world. My mother tells me I'm supposed to be one way, but my heart is telling me another. So yes. I wish it was you. I wish I had been in your arms. And I wish I had kissed your lips. If you had been the one in the garden. . ." Persephone took a deep breath. "Well, I would have liked that I think. But right now I feel very fragile. Not like a flower. Like a bomb. And I don't know what I do now. And I can't pretend like I don't want you anymore. The whole fucking party knows about it."

Hades stepped off the ambulance and walked slowly to her. "I just got out of a short-term but also fucked up long-term relationship."

Persephone nodded, calming down. "Right. Right."

"I don't know what my brother told you." Hades winced. "But. . . it was. . . probably true." He caught Persephone's eyes. "Our whole relationship has been other people interfering. Aphrodite and Eros, Hera and Zeus." He listed off. "I got us all into this mess. It's because I think you're the most gorgeous creature I've ever laid eyes on." He smacked the side of his face. "You're right. We need to stop lying to each other and to ourselves."

"Masks off?" Persephone smiled.

"Masks off." Hades nodded. "I don't know where that puts us. Or what we do now either, but I like being honest with you. Seems like a good start. Or re-start, I suppose."

Persephone tapped her toes together. "I like milkshakes." She looked up hopefully. "There's a place nearby that's still open. Maybe we can talk some more. Keep being honest. You wanna-"

"I'll get my car." Hades nodded hurriedly. "Actually." He pulled out his keys, knowing full well Persephone still didn't have her license. "Here. You drive."

* * *

 **AN: This one was a dooooosy. I thought keeping it all in one instead of splitting it up would be easier for all ya'll.**

 **Lol at Zeus' dumb brain concoting his plan it was basically:**

 **1\. Use mad game** **skills to help older brother who has 0 game.**

 **2\. Kiss pretty girl in the process. Nice!**

 **3\. ?**

 **4\. Attend their wedding.**

 **Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **xoxo Goldie**


	31. A Quiet Place

A short sweet little kiss on the forehead for ya. mwah!

* * *

A Quiet Space

* * *

While the tea steeped, Persephone pulled the cuffs of her sweater down her palms and inhaled the scent of woolen fabric, like she would a bouquet of flowers. Feeling right at home, she hiked up one leg underneath herself in the corner booth. She picked her book up in one hand and flipped to the dog-eared page to continue reading. In her other hand she curled the cup of tea, bringing it to her lips and blowing on the hot water to bring the steam back up to warm her nose. When her other hand would get cold, she'd switch the book for the tea.

Saturday mornings were slow in the underworld. A dead city, quite literally. Every now and then, she'd look up from her book and watch a couple on the sidewalk, or a gorgon out walking her dog. From far in the corner, it felt like the people on the other side of the glass were worlds away. She sipped her tea, letting the warm chamomile drip down and heat her up from the inside, then she'd turn back to her book, and travel to even further worlds within the ink of the pages.

A shadow passed over the page and she looked up at a blushing barista. He held out a shaking hand and a platter of cookies. "W-would you like a sample?" He offered, with an embarrassing hilt in his voice.

"Oh sure! What kind are these?" She smiled politely.

"Cookies." The barista blurted out.

Persephone waited for a more thorough answer but it didn't come. The barista dropped the whole plate of cookies on her table and quickly turned around. She eyed the room for a second. She was the only one in here. Why was he trying to offer out samples? She shrugged, grabbed a cookie and returned back to her reading.

She began twisting her hair up as the tension rose in her book, braiding it into a bun, then letting it tumble out of the twists to cascade down her shoulders and starting over again.

A shadow passed over her page again. This time she held up a finger, not wanting to be interrupted from an important moment in the story. She smiled at the resolution and sighed. Then remembered the shadow, "I don't need anything right now." She expected the half startled barista again, but instead she turned right into the coat of Hades.

"S-sorry." Hades backed up. "I see that you're reading. I don't mean to interrupt."

"Oh!" Persephone gasped. "I was just really rude just now. I'm sorry. I thought you were the barista."

"It's alright. I didn't mean to -. Sorry." Hades floundered. "I just was walking Fudge. This is his favorite spot." He motioned to the brown mound of hair currently lapping up a shallow cup of whipped cream. "And I saw you in the corner here and just wanted to-" He bit his lip. "Wanted to say'' hi." He finally came to a conclusion. "What are you doing here?" He asked, something like annoyance knitted his eyebrows together. "It's saturday. You don't work today." It became clear that he didn't mean, what are you doing in this coffee shop, but what are you doing in the underworld.

"Oh yeah." Persephone kicked a shoulder up to her neck. The sweater gently fell down her arm to reveal a few freckles on her shoulder. "Well, it's quiet here." She nodded to her book then gestured outside. "It's dark and quiet and I feel like I can breath here, you know."

Hades chest ached somewhere in the middle and a little to the left.

Taking his silence as some kind of judgement she continued on, "It's just nice to not have all those personalities in Olympus barging in all the time. I just like to be alone sometimes and-a-and the sun's been uncomfortably bright. It's so dark here. It's-it's just nice to get away and feel like myself again."

If Hades was an ice cube, he'd be melting. "I-I'm sorry for interrupting you. I'll leave you to it, then. I understand the need to be alone." He tightened his grip on Fudge's leash, wrinkling the newspaper under his arm.

"Do you-" Persephone squeezed the book to her chest. "Do you want to join me?"

"Oh, I don't want to intrude-" Hades held his hand up, internally screaming at himself.

"We could just sit and be quiet together?" She offered, hopefully.

Persephone read happily, occasionally peering over the edge of her book at Hades as he pursued the newspaper. Fudge curled up at Persephone's feet after being thoroughly petted. She would smile when Hades caught her looking at him and duck back down to her book, both of them hiding blushes behind their readings. As delightful as catching her looking at him was, his favorite part of sharing this quiet morning was whenever she put her book down to drink her tea, she would stare absently out the window at the city of Hades, and she would smile, lean into the cushion at her back and sigh contentedly before picking her book back up again. They didn't talk about all the things they wanted to say to each other. They didn't talk about all the things they were afraid to hear from the other. Instead they just enjoyed this quiet morning together.

They didn't need to talk about the way Persephone's feet gently grazed along Hades' calf, rubbing against his sock and messing with the hem of his pants. At first it could have been an accident, but Hades didn't move, and neither did Persephone. No, they just continued to read in their safe dark quiet space together, not needing to say anything at all.

* * *

xoxo

Godlie


	32. Inappropriate Attire

Summary:

 _Two words: Trench coat._

 **AN: I wrote this back in December '18. Previously unpublished. This was my first soirree into smut. It probably shows.**

* * *

Inappropriate Attire

* * *

"Your majesty," The familiar voice of the receptionist beeped into his desk phone. "Thanatos needs to see you in his office."  
Hades scrunched up his nose, staring at the black speaker on his desk. He pressed the call button. "Why?" He hadn't seen any emails from Thanatos. In fact, he was pretty sure Thanatos had gone to collections for the day.  
"He said it was urgent, your majesty. Wouldn't say more." The receptionist said in a deflated tone. He could hear her tapping on her pearl necklace through the phone. Thanatos had been working on a project for the west side. If there was a hiccup in the execution then maybe it was best handled behind closed doors.  
"Alright." Hades stood up, and buttoned his suit. While waiting for the elevator to take him to Thanatos's floor, he checked his watch impatiently. He was supposed to be meeting Persephone for lunch. If this was as serious as Hades feared it might be, he might have to cancel lunch. The door opened. No. Whatever it was would have to wait. Nothing came between him and time with Persephone.  
"Alright, Thanatos. What's wrong?" Hades stomped into his office. "Thanatos?" He looked around. No one was here. His chair was empty. His papers all lined up neatly. Not even a coffee cup to announce his presence. "For the love of Helios." Hades muttered. "Not even here." He walked forward to Thanatos's intercom system and was about to dial the front desk.  
Then the door slammed shut behind him.  
"What?" Hades spun on his heels.  
A pink hand jutted out from one of Hades' long black trench coats to close the door. Then she slid down to the knob and locked it.  
"Persephone." Hades eyebrows furrowed inquisitively. "What-"  
Persephone leaned her back against the door. "Hey boss." She winked up at him.  
Hades lips twitched, not sure what was going on, but he knew that tone in her voice. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Slowly, he staggered forward over to her but something in her eyes made him stop. He didn't mind the view. The trench coat could hide many mysterious things, but the outline of her hardened nipple excited him like an uncovered clue.  
"The pleasure's all mine." Persephone grinned. Her hands untangled the belt around her waist in a swift motion. As if breathing on its own, Hades' trench-coat opened up, revealing the soft pink skin hiding underneath. Nothing else protected Persephone's body.  
As the coat fell to the floor and so did Hades' jaw. The curves of her body drove him mad. Like a magnet, Hades swaggered towards, pieces of him dying with the space between them. His hands finally gripped her waist. His head bowed towards her, his nose brushing along her forehead. When small blue flowers blossomed under his nose, Hades couldn't help the grin that grew into his cheeks.  
"Now, miss." Hades raised his eyebrows. "We're going to have to have a talk about your work attire." Hades right hand slid behind her back and then down across her butt. He gripped it for a moment, enjoying the way his hand fit. His other hand roamed upwards, cupping her breast. A finger reached out and rubbed her nipple gently. "It's entirely inappropriate for the workplace." Hades right hand dipped further down to the top of her thigh and with a sudden movement hoisted her up, balancing her on the door and his torso.  
Persephone giggled, her arms pushed out against his chest to support herself and she leaned back into the door. Her legs wrapping around his waist. Her fingers began to fumble around the collar of his shirt. His tie couldn't loosen fast enough. The buttons of his shirt wouldn't corporate.  
Hades pulled her hips closer onto him and his nose gently traced a line down her jaw. His breath was jagged and shaky. It heated her skin further. He pinched lightly at her nipple, holding her for ransom in his fingers. The only thing that could escape was a soft moan from her lips.  
She grew impatient and her hands ripped open his shirt. With new vigor, Hades pressed her up against the door, both hands sliding up the sides of her body till they tugged lightly in her hair. While Persephone's fingers now scrambled at his belt and zipper, Hades lips crashed against hers. For a moment the heat floated away into tenderness. A kiss so deep and pure. Pure romantic love exchanged between them like the first blossom of spring, the butterflies in one's stomach at a first touch.  
"Hades." Persephone whispered, her eyes dimmed as she looked up into the face of her love.  
"My queen." He answered into her jawline. His lips moved back up to hers, another soft kiss pushing and pulling, like the waves on the ocean. Then Persephone bit his lip as he pulled away for air. The gentle flurry delved back into an intense desire. Hades hands slid from her neck, circling her chest, rubbing them for a moment, molding her breast into his hands before they continued down her stomach to her thighs. She arched back into the door while Hades positioned her better. One hand moving her weight over his, the other sliding down to her folds and prying her open. He hummed as his finger got coated from her essence.  
His eyes lifted to hers. A question in them. She answered back with her body, searching for him with her hips. Only satisfied when she felt the hard tip against her. Her eyes lifted up at him. Begging.  
Hades could deny her nothing. Least of all this. He pushed into her and felt her body all around him react. He paused to make sure she was okay.  
"Don't stop." She mumbled. Her eyelids fluttered. He didn't. Slowly he moved inside of her, then once he was sure she was stable, his hips moved against her more abrupt. Each pulse brought a huff or a moan up out of her. Her soft panting a music that he could listen to for eternity. Her arms wrapped around his back, holding on for dear life. He plunged into her harder, losing just a moment of control. His forehead balanced on the door behind her as he curled into her, losing himself in her warmth. If he didn't slow down this would be over much too quickly.  
But then the door knob turned.  
"Uh. Why is my office locked?" Thanatos muttered to himself on the other side.  
Persephone's eyes bugged out and Hades quickly moved his hand over her mouth. His eyes red, glowing and she dared not disobey his silent command.  
"Hello?" Thanatos jiggled the knob. They heard him sigh on the other side and then the jingle of keys.  
Persephone looked up at Hades, worried, but he shook his head, a grin playing around his lips.  
A metallic click. The lock slide back. Thanatos pushed on the door, but Hades pushed back, his hands outstretched on either side of the door frame. Thanatos used more force this time. Hades' hips, keeping Persephone pinned to the door, shoving into her harder. A silent moan distorted her face. Hades pushed into her again and this time she couldn't stop the groan that he forced from her.  
"What the-" Thanatos scratched his head.  
"Come back later." Hades finally said, his forehead on the door.  
"Hades?" Thanatos crossed his arms on the other side. "Is that you?"  
"Yes. This is a command from your King. Come back later." Hades grinned.  
"But this is my room." Thanatos grumbled. "What are you doing-"  
Hades shoved Persephone up against the door again, his hips moving back up to speed. Persephone squealed.  
"For Gaia's sake. You're having sex in my office again aren't you?." Thanatos groaned. "Godsdamnit. Just-Just clean up when your done. I'm working from home for the rest of the day."  
"Bye, Thanatos." Persephone bid aduo in a sing song voice, it cut off short by another powerful thrust.  
Persephone and Hades took a moment to stare up at each other. A beat passed and they laughed. And then they noticed what their bodies laughing did as they moved on each other.  
"Hmm." Hades hummed thoughtfully. He swung Persephone up into the air and then set her back down on Thanatos's desk.  
Eagerly, Persephone knocked everything off to the side and they picked up where they left off.


	33. Solitaire 1

**AN: Hi! I've been so busy but I haven't thought any less of our sweet cinnamon rolls and blue dude.**

Summary: While on the outside looking in, things might look like Persephone's life derailed. But she's exactly where she wants to be.

* * *

Solitaire

Chapter 1

* * *

Water poured from the kitchen faucet into the ceramic tea kettle. Persephone spun in the tiny kitchen, sliding in her socks as she opened up the fridge and pulled out some left overs from yesterday. Music played on the living room speaker and she sang along to the words with no worry in the world. No mother to harp over her. No roommate to be considerate of. The water in the kettle spilled over the brim. Quickly Persephone turned the faucet off and poured out the excess, then set it on the stove. While it heated, Persephone continued to dance to the living room, holding her hand up like an invisible microphone and jumped up on her couch.

* * *

(A few weeks ago)

The party was going along swimmingly. Everyone had wine and drink. The music kept the people on the dance floor. Even Hades arrived and wasn't dragging down the vibe or off sulking somewhere. Poseidon hadn't punched anyone in attendance. Aphrodite danced with her new fling, too busy to meddle with others. The conversations were lively. No one felt excluded. Everyone got along and they were all having a great time.

This simply wouldn't do.

"You know who I haven't seen?" Hera turned to Zeus carefully.

"Who?" He smiled, unknowingly. "We've greeted just about everyone at this party."

"Persephone." She said the name like dark curse, taboo and full of power. The air shifted around Hades and Minthe, but which direction no one could tell. Hera smiled. Good, she thought.

"I didn't realize she was here." Zeus said. If he had, he wouldn't have pushed Hades over to her by now.

"I think I saw her go into the garden a few minutes ago. She's a shy one, that one." Hera turned towards the door. "I'll go find her."

"Find who?" Persephone asked, appearing from a branch that had grown behind them by the water feature. As she splashed down into the shallow pool, the branch flicked flowers up around her. It was a crime, honestly. How could someone just be so picturesque all the time. Her flowing hair dripped down past her waist, flower petals catching on her flyaways. She walked through the water towards them. Hades didn't have the only jaw that hung loosely.

"Oh." Hera's eyes shot up. Something seemed different about her. She was radiant, her movements much more self assured, more confident, full of divine power. "You! I was just looking for you."

"You're not going to try to set me up with any more guys are you?" Persephone ran a hand through her hair and sat at the edge of the fountain.

Hera laughed nervously. "What?" She eyed her glaring husband. "No? I would. . ." She cleared her throat. "Never. No. Someone has been wanting to meet you for a long time. Hebe, Hebe!" She called. "Persephone is here."

Hades smiled warmly as Persephone knelt down to the ground and his favorite niece ran up to her, instantly trusting her, and wrapped her arms around her neck. Pink butterflies fluttered around them. Giggles erupted and Hebe climbed up into Persephone's lap. After a moment she whispered something into her ear. Persephone blushed, her eyes darting to Hades, then back to Hebe. She shook her head and booped Hebe's nose.

"You look really happy." Hades finally scrounged up enough nerve to say. It bubbled out before he could really filter himself.

"I am." Persephone said pensively while Hebe practiced braiding in her hair. "Now." She clarified and something strange shifted in her voice. He couldn't quite tell what it meant.

Before he could question further a scream interrupted them. The kind of scream that makes you freeze while your body considers its fight or flight response. Lights turned on in the back garden. Soon people were running to the back to look out at whatever caused the scream. Zeus and Hera launched into the air above the crowd to observe for themselves.

"No, no." Persephone turned Hebe's face back to her. "Let's just keep braiding, yeah?"

* * *

(Back to present)

Exhausted from dancing, Persehphone plopped down on the couch and kicked her leg up on the coffee table. Her work clothes were strewn about, piecing it off one after one in the living room, not bothering to put it up in her closet. Her bra dangled from a dinning room chair. She twisted in her seat and opened the curtain. Lights shone brighter in the darkness. Speckles like starlight in the streetlamps flickered at her. The music changed and in response Persephone rolled off the couch in an erotic manner (at least in her head) and continued to dance like no one was watching. Because no one was.

Solitary confinement wasn't so bad.

* * *

The chair in Zeus's office felt cold against her thighs, but she didn't adjust her position. The post behind the ruler of the gods had a typo in it, but Persephone said nothing. She held on to her mother's hand, but avoided her eye.

Zeus stood up to make up his pronouncement. The filled with electricity, a sign of significance and power in his next words.

"To pay for her crimes, Persephone will serve 100 years without the light of day."

* * *

Persephone turned on the living room lamp. Light of day didn't have any meaning on electricity. She checked on her leftovers in the oven and pulled them out into a plate and began slurping up the noodles on her couch. The music still blared from the speakers. The bass beats so low and loud she mistook the first few door knocks as off rhythm drums.

Knock-knock.

Perspehone perked up like a meerkat, wondering if that sound was real or not.

Knock-knock.

Coming from the door. Persephone dropped her noodles, and the bowl clattered to the ground. She scrambled to the front door and swung it open. "You kids need to knock it off-" She spat out as threatening as possible. Then she saw Hades standing in the apartment hallway, his hand still raised as if to knock on the door again. Hades. His suit from work still on, his shirt buttons undone at the top. His tie loose.

Persephone and Hades looked at each other for a fraction of a second. She was standing so close to him she could smell him and die from pleasure. Then Persephone slammed the door in his face. The wind pushed back Hades hair.

"Persephone?" Hades asked, hurt, speaking through the door.

"I'm sorry!" Persephone yelled. "I- uh. Hold on!" She hurried over to the table and pickup her bra and hooked it on quickly under her shirt. She picked up the broken bowl of noddles and tossed it in the trash. She checked herself in the mirror, pinched her cheeks and calmed down her hair. She smelled her arm pits, shrugged, and grew a bunch of flowers in her hair. "Sorry!" She said again and opened the door just a little. "I wasn't expecting anyone." She spied Hades through the crack in the door.

"No." Hades held the back of his head in his hand. "I suppose not."

"You-" Persephone poked her head out the door and looked both ways. "You really shouldn't be here, you know." She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him into her apartment quickly. "I-." She shuffled her feet. "I'm not supposed to have visitors."

"I know." Hades nodded, a guilty blush creeping up his neck.

"You might get in trouble if someone finds out you're here." Persephone tugged on the collar of her shirt. "I know how much of a stickler you are for rules."

"This is still my kingdom." Hades took a moment to look around at Persephone's surroundings. Persephone waited for him to go on further in his statement but he didn't. She followed his gaze, her messy apartment.

"Sorry for the mess. I, I wasn't expecting company." She fidgeted with her hair. "I'm not normally such a slob."

"Has anyone been bothering you?" Hades brushed past her comments. "At the door, you said something about-"

"Oh." Persephone rolled her eyes. "There are some dumb teenagers in the building that think it's funny to pester the shut-in, crazy, bad guy."

"You're not any of those things." Hades said in a serious tone and Persephone's face softened. "Let me know if they keep bothering you."

"Oh, that's not necessary. They're just-" Persephone shook her head. "Stupid. We all are stupid and young once."

Hades clicked his mouth and sighed.

After a moment Hades reached into one of his coat pockets, and pulled out a glass tupperware with a bright pink lid. "You left this at work this afternoon." Persephone continued to work at Underworld Inc. But her sentencing only allowed her to interact with coworkers as the job demanded it. She wasn't to socialize with anyone outside of work. Hades had been watching her day after day, withering away in her solitary confinement. "So, I figured I would kill two birds with one stone and bring you dinner with it."

Persephone's eyebrows shot up. "You- you brought me dinner?"

Hades shrugged awkwardly. "Well, I- I wasn't sure what you liked. Here." He offered it to her.

"Oh." Persephone bit her lip and her eyes slid to the side. "I-I can't accept that."

Hades tensed up like a cat. "Wh-Of, of course you can."

"My apologises." Persephone smirked wickedly, trying on her best impression of the king of the underworld. "I can't accept gifts from employers. It's not a good look." She spun around Hades popping up on the other side and sliding the dish away from his hands. She laughed and set it on the dinning room table. "You should see the look on your face." She opened the lid and inhaled the casserole. "MMmm."

"I haven't heard you laugh since-" Hades faltered off.

"Hmm?" Persephone turned back to him.

"Nothing." Hades shook his head. "I hope you like it." He started to back away slowly.

"Not so fast." Persephone pulled on his neck tie, causing it to come undone completely. "I wasn't kidding. I can't accept this."

"Persephone." Hades nearly begged.

Persephone began to tie his black tie back on, flying up to wrap it around his neck. As he tightened it up to his Adam's apple she said, "Only if you eat it with me." Persephone smiled sweetly and pulled out a chair for him.

Hades stood in the middle of Persephone's apartment, holding up everything he wished he could do and everything he wished he could say to her.

"Please." Persephone batted her eyelashes. "If you're going to break the rules. . . will you stay for awhile?" She bit her lip again, holding back just as much as Hades was. When she looked back up she let some of it escape. "I'm terribly lonely."

Hades stayed for dinner.

They ended up talking all night. Persephone poured more wine in his glass and filled hers up as well and they continued chatting on the couch.

"You've never seen 'Astral Wars'?" Hades balked, his jaw dropping. "How?"

"I grew up in the mortal realm, dummy. Mom wouldn't let me watch tv."

"Not even when you went to Olympus?"

"I really didn't go to Olympus that much." Persephone shrugged and sipped on more wine.

"Well, alright then. I suppose I'll have to come back tomorrow with my copies."

"Really?" Persephone moved closer into his lap. "You'll come back?"

"I can't, with good conscience have any of my friends go around without seeing Astral Wars. I suppose we could start with Episode III The Three Kingdoms Strike back." He hummed to himself. "We should watch them all." He looked down at Persephone. "It'll take awhile to do it."

"I don't mind." Persephone beamed. She didn't finish the thought in her head. I don't mind as long as you're with me.

When Hades left, Persephone pulled him into a hug. "I'll be back." He promised.

"Don't let anyone watch you leave here." She whispered back into his ear. He looked at her once more as he began to close the door.

"Wait!" Persephone yelled. "We can't watch Astral Wars."

"What? Why not?"

"I don't have a TV here." Her face fell. "So… if you don't come back. I-I understand."

Hades laughed. Then suddenly he was out of sight and Persephone stared down the empty dark hallway. And she was alone again.


	34. Update and More than Flowers

**AN: Hello lovelies! Goldie here. A few important updates for ya:**

 **I've decided to pull Solitaire out from Roots and Petals as its not really a one shot. You can find it in its new home with some updated chapters! I really love where it's going and hope you enjoy the ride. There will eventually be smut on that one. But it is a slow burn.**

 **ALSO!**

 **YOU GUYS!**

 **I have FINALLY started to rework War and Peonies! AHHH! I KNOW!**

 **I'm having an absolute blast writing on that one as well. It's going in a lot of exciting directions. That also has a new home under a work called "War and Peonies: Battle Plans"**

 **So go ahead and go follow and review those so you can be updated when a new chapter comes out. Thank you so much you guys! Ya'll are the best.**

 **Without further ado. A new one shot:**

* * *

More than Flowers

* * *

"Alright," Artemis marched up to the three brothers, "before I freak out and slice that cowlick off the back of your head with the blade of my knife," Her eyes narrowed up at the King of the Underworld. "Is she in your car? Have you kidnapped her again from my protection?"

Hades blanched and held his hands up innocently. The emeralds and rubies adorning his cuffs weighed down and his sleeve slipped to the crook of his elbow. "First off, I don't know what you're talking about. Secondly, I never kidnapped anybody."

"Liar." Artemis brandished her knife up at him threateningly.

"Woah there, spitfire." Poseidon pulled Artemis' shoulders back. "That is not the vibe that's happening right now. Maybe you want to pause on the threats to one of the High King's, huh?" He tried to massage her shoulders in a nice circular motions. "You're too tense. Arty you gotta learn how to go with the flow."

Artemis pushed against Poseidon's hands on her shoulders and spun from his grasp. "Hey pal." She looked him up and down. "How did you get here today?"

"What?"

"You drive a car here or-" Her eyes lit with the quest she had set out for herself. Her knife now spun in the air casually but adeptly. They all were here. All the kings. And all the king's cars. Or maybe he had a boat. She'd key a boat. She didn't care. She could fulfil her promise to Persephone at last.

Hera caught Artemis' knife out of thin air and eyed the goddess of the hunt disdainfully. "No weapons at parties. I'm confiscating this."

"But-"

"No weapons." A golden finger bonked Artemis' forehead.

"It's just a knife." She protested. "What- are you gonna get rid of Ares' pocket knife too?"

Hera frowned in her direction and blinked slowly uncaring.

"You know that rule is broken by everyone here." She tried to follow Hera out to the hallway but Hades stopped her.

"Is something wrong with Persephone?" He figured out what she must have been worried about. If Artemis accused him of kidnapping then she must be missing.

"I-" Artemis huffed regrettably telling Hades this. "I can't find her."

"Again?" Aphrodite heard a commotion and quickly came into the scene with the ScryChat app open just in case something juicy happened. "My my, Artemis. What kind of protector have you been? What would Demeter say if she found out of your lacking duties?"

White lavender knuckles blanched at her side. Artemis grumbled, "She's more trouble than anyone gives her credit for." She felt guilty at the truth of Aphrodite's words, but guilt read as anger on her face.

"Aphrodite, you have no right to talk of Persephone's protection." Hades spoke lowly. His eyes glaring.

The love goddess turned innocently towards him. "Whatever do you mean?" She gasped breathily, an air of a terrible actress about her. Hades face didn't change even as she sauntered up to him and pulled his tie teasingly. "And you have more right than I?" She raised her eyebrow at him.

Hera returned with no knife in her hand. "Stop this." Hera rolled her eyes. "She's a capable girl and doesn't need to be coddled."

"But she's missing." Artemis let out, exasperated at Hera's uncaringness in this situation. Persephone was under Hera's protection too. She should be more concerned.

Hera sighed, her lips fogging up the glass in her hand, and looked pointedly at the window at the opposite side of the room. The ornate purple and gold drapes closed completely, unlike its sister windows. As Artemis looked where Hera did, she saw a flower petal fall beneath the edge of the curtain.

"Missing: she is not." Hera said over her glass and it reverberated oddly back. "Found: she is trying to avoid." Before she could ask Artemis to leave the girl alone, Artemis felt slighted by the young spring goddess avoiding her. She bent down and pulled out another knife kept safe in her girdle and through it at the window. It curved perfectly pinning the curtain back, revealing the hidden goddess behind it.

Persephone sat with her back to the side, One leg out and one leg dipped down below the window sill she sat on. She held an apple in one hand and a book in the other. A small stack of books laid under her bent leg propping up her knee. Her sparkling high waisted skirt draped across her effortlessly, nearly peeping out beneath the bottom of the curtain. Just nearly. A matching sparkling cropped top sparkled across her chest, straining against her voluptuous curves.

Hades softened immediately and looked away. Such serene beauty, too intimate he felt wrong for looking. Obviously she wanted to be hidden and for so many to gaze upon her now made his golden blood boil.

"Persephone!" Artemis marched now, her fury trained away from the Kings now to the very person she sought.

Before the huntress could get another word out Persephone dropped the apple in her lap and held up one resolute finger, silencing Artemis and stopping her in her tracks. Artemis waited for a moment. Persephone turned the page. Artemis tapped her toes on the ground but it became obvious Persephone wasn't going to stop reading as abruptly as she had hoped.

"Persephone-" She lunged forward but then a large bright green leaf zoomed through the air hitting Artemis's lips cutting her off.

"Do not disturb me while I'm reading" Persephone said. "One more step and I'll root you to the ground." Persephone's voice was low, carrying more serious authority than Artemis was used to from the young goddess. She usually talked in unsure questioning sentences, not sure ever what she wanted. A pink confident finger once more commanded her to hush. Something warm filled Hades as he heard this debate. He bit down on his lip to keep a smile from twisting the corners of his mouth up. He'd never heard this kind of forceful power in her voice. The thought of what her wrath might- he turned further away now trying to control himself.

Artemis could hear Aphrodite snickering at her expense. "A leaf would stop the mighty hunter?" She whispered slowly into Posiedon's ear, loud enough for Artemis to hear.

Hera reached to hold Artemis back and take heed of her warning.

"No." Artemis shook her head. "You can't go-" Something began wrapping around her lips. She grasped at the vines but then her hands were yanked down with leafy tendrils. Artemis tried to side step away, but bramble climbed across her shoes, catching her to her place.

Persephone merely sighed and flipped the page once more reading quickly, never taking her eyes off the inked words.

Artemis continued to struggle, pulling against the vines and branches, breaking them off with her strength, but the more she tugged, the more the vines filled the broken gaps. Stronger. And stronger. The restraints turned heavier. Artemis could tug less and less against them. Every snap of closer freedom only ensured a firmer hold against her efforts. The earth itself rose to ensure her down. The vines twisted and then suddenly transformed from dark green to a shining metal link. Links of metal chain. Artemis twistings turned more frantic. She tried to get Persephone's attention but her mouth was closed shut against a metal plate against her lips, clasped to her head with a chain wrapped around her head. The brambles at her feet turned to bars over her feet, trapping her completely to the floor.

Persephone paid little attention to the commotion happening a few feet away from her. In fact she giggled at something she read and sighed contentedly.

Zeus jumped to Artemis' side and tried to help her, but there was no lock, no opening of the chains. He spun in Persephone's direction and back to the chain. Aphrodite pushed through about to scold the young girl before Zeus clapped a hand over her mouth and dragged her backward. She squirmed in his grasp but Zeus deftly ignored her thrashing. Aphrodite thought he might be lewd, but even Zeus wouldn't grab a woman romantically in front of his wife.

Zeus grew very serious and after set her straight motioned for her to stand down cautiously. Artemis began to sweat as she pulled on the restraints. Zues tapped Artemis' shoulder and whispered to that her efforts were in vain. "Patience." Zeus turned back around caught Hades eyes. Something passed between them. Confusion knitted Hades brow. Understanding yes, but bewilderment in his recognition.

Persephone closed her eyes held the book to her chest for a moment as if to hug the words into her clothes and swung her legs down on the floor. She rose up with a stretch and yawned softly, a youthful breath escaping her like the crisp warm breeze of spring.

"Alright. Sorry about that." Persephone set the book down. She stared at the bindings and bit her lip. Then she grabbed it up again and sprinted over to Hera, passing by Artemis who quivered in her place silently. Persephonely innocently held up the book and pointed at it. "Would you mind it terribly if I could borrow this?"

Hera eyed her with a shocked expression planted into her skin as Artemis was planted into the floor. She nodded. "You can take it."

"Really?" Persephone squeezed the book to her chest happily. "Thank you!" She spun away. "Well then. Good night." She moved like the dance of a ballerina out of the room. The crowded gods and goddess watched her silently go, completely breathless.

Zeus was the first one to move. "Careful, Artemis." He warned again, passing the chain links capturing the goddess of the hunt between his fingers. He tried weakly to snap the links, knowing it would be futile. "Do you know these chains that bind you?"

"The fuck was that!" Aphrodite seethed. "That precocious little-"

"Quiet woman." Zues said with an even temper. "If you know what's best for you, you will not anger the Goddess of Tartarus. You've already witnessed just a trifling of her power."

"Tar-" Aphrodite paled.

"Don't say such dark things!" Hera hissed at her husband. "Persephone is a flower and earth goddess."

"She is more than flowers." Hades said softly from the back, more sure of it now than ever.

"Those are no ordinary bindings." Zues continued tapping his foot on the bar rooting Artemis to the ground. "Those are the chains that bind the Titans. Unbreakable." A shiver passed through each and every one of them. A shiver wraked through Hades especially.

A smile crept up the side of Zues' face and he slid his eyes over to Hades who stood stoically trying to process all that he had just witnessed. "Not even Hades can manifest them. And without a key, not even Hades can release it's prisoner."

Aretemis struggled again. Before either of them could speak again, the rosy pink Persephone slipped into the room again and waved. "Oops. I almost forgot. Silly me." Artemis sighed a breath of relief, thinking Persephone had returned to release her.

Then Persephone slinked to the window and pulled back the curtain. When she leaned away again, the straps of her shoes wrapped around her fingers. "Almost forgot my shoes." Persephone laughed at herself. "Well, goodnight." She bowed to the kings, resisting to look at the King of the Underworld in fear that she would be caught staring too long.

"Persephone." Zeus called. "Release Artemis."

Persehpone stopped mid skipped eyeing the king of the gods. "Oh! Certainly." She dipped her head obediently. She walked slowly up to Artemis and passed the chain links under her fingers just as Zues had. "Huh." She said under her breath. "That's new." She bit her lip suddenly nervous. Her wrath did not surprise her. While she was always slow to anger, this one thing- interruptions while she read-quickened her temper like an explosion. Not even her own mother dared disturb her. Persephone should have warned her roommate. She hoped the moonlight goddess would forgive her, but she would not apologize for her reaction. Books were the only things she held sacred. She learned through them and they transported her to places her mother would never take her.

However, the cool metal in her fingers. . . She barely knew she created these bounds. How would she-

Something in her chest filled with fire. Warmth radiating through her. The bindings were made from life. The fire built up till she felt nothing inside of her at all. Purified by the heat. The only way to destroy the chain. The unbreakable chain. She knew now without the thought of knowledge running through her mind. She felt it under her skin.

The link gleamed in between her thumb and middle finger and then Persephone snapped. Friction sparked fire between her fingers and the spark burned, not widely like a forest fire but the embers of a powerful creeping decay. The chain turned black and withered, rimmed with the embers that began to travel up and down, spreading to Artemis' mouth and down to her feet.

Aretmis winced as the flames licked at her skin, knowing she would heal quickly.

Persephone hugged the book closer to her chest and swung her shoes back. She turned to address the Kings and Queens and curtsied. "Good evening, my lords and lady." She said formally. The dark withered chain fell apart, slow quiet embers glowed with red fire on the surface. As the chain fell apart, it scattered into the air and broke into a myriad of darkly colored butterflies. They floating like embers towards Persephone, returning home to the crown of her head, alighting on the laurel crown she wore. The black butterflies rimmed with red fire flapped their wings. Artemis collapsed to the ground finally free. Her breath came out ragged still ripped with undeniable fear.

Persephone rose to her full height then waved at the group once more light heartedly. The whole room wondered what this meant and stared open mouthed at Persephone as the blinking butterfly wings resembled the prongs of a dark crown.


	35. Summer Soul

Summary: Poseidon's big summer solstice bash at the beach brings in large crowds. Neither Persephone or Hades have ever attended. Until now.

* * *

Chapter 1

Deal

* * *

"Sunglasses - check." Artemis sipped on her thermos of iced coffee while checking the large purple and pink striped tote. "Towels - check. Umbrellas - check. Lounge chairs - eh. I'm sure Poseidon will have some there." She scratched the back of her neck underneath her bikini knot. "Reading material. . . check and check. Sunscreen - don't need it." She tossed out a tube of lotion. "And a long sword for good measure. Check."

"Hey, don't take the sunscreen out!" Persephone screeched from behind the bathroom. "Leave that in."

"We're gods." Artemis shrugged. "The sun can't hurt us."

"Not gonna risk it!" Persephone wouldn't let it go.

"Ugh. Fine. Whatever." Artemis dropped the sunscreen back into the bag. "Are you about ready? I am reaaaally looking forward to taking a nap on the beach. And I want to get to the party before all the good spots are taken. Narcissus is notoriously greedy. And Triton is absolutely obnoxious at this thing."

Posiedon's annual beach party had been highly anticipated by all the gods. It was all anyone could talk about on Olympus for weeks. Stores were selling items in preparation. Decorations for the solstice hung throughout the city. As the invitation read: "Summer Solstice. You know what that means: Longest day = longest party. Be there or be square. BYOB. (Bring Your Own Babes. We got the beer.)"

"Yeah. I just gotta grab my cover up. I can't wait to go swimming!" Persephone opened up the bathroom door and Artemis froze. Purple eyes bugged out and it took a moment before Artemis was able to find her jaw again. Persephone pulled her arms through a light white eyelet lace kimono.

"Um, Persephone?"

"Yeah?" The Goddess of Spring turned around.

"Where's your swimsuit?" Artemis' lips went dry.

Persephone's cover up, covered up nothing. Standing, stark naked in Artemis' living room, Persephone didn't even bat an eye for her exposed body.

"Swimsuit?" Persephone scrunched up her face. "I don't know. I always liked swimming better in the nude."

"Persephone." Artemis paled. "You have to wear a swimsuit."

Persephone looked down at her body and shrugged, not at all seeing what the big deal was.

"Bold. Daring. Sexy." Eros appeared suddenly, sitting casually on top of the kitchen counter. "I love it."

"EROS!" Artemis jumped so high she almost hit the ceiling. "DON'T LOOK AT HER, YOU PERVERT!"

"Oh please." Eros held his arm out, catching Artemis' face in his palm as she scratched towards him. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yeah. A pervert." Artemis held strong.

He rolled his eyes. "This." He motioned at Persephone who started putting on sun screen already while the two of them fought. "This is nothing."

"It's not appropriate for you to see her-"

"You don't know the things I've seen, maiden." Eros mocked her with a wicked smirk on his lips.

"Is that supposed to be an insult." Artemis leered.

"Just a fact."

Persephone huffed, swung a tote bag over her bare shoulders, and headed to the door. "Will you two stop fighting. We gotta beach party to go to." She put a hand on the door and began to swing it open.

Then, both in chorus, Eros and Artemis screeched, "YOU CAN'T GO OUT LIKE THAT."

* * *

Hades grumbled as he got out of the car. "Want something done right. . ." The door slammed shut behind him and he adjusted his suit tie. The v formed by his eyebrows became more fixed in place as he stepped up to the boardwalk. "Have to do it yourself." It groaned under his patent leather shoes. The sun beat down unrelenting and Hades shivered at the change of temperature. Goosebumps rose on his skin, though he felt hot in the sunshine. So much more swealtering than his nice, dark, cool realm.

"Uuuuck." Hades complained like a child in a grocery store, while he swung the straps for the cylindrical blueprint case over his shoulder. The plans for tomorrow's scheduled tsunami made an odd doink sound against his back. He headed onwards, passed rows of reeds waving pleasantly with the breeze coming off the ocean. More sand clung to the wooden boards the closer he got to the end. He couldn't quite see the ocean just yet behind a large sand dune.

Eventually, Hades mind quieted long enough for him to hear the ocean. The loud, distant rumble, the pushing and pulling. Like the breath of the universe. Hades stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes. As the universe exhaled so did Hades. As the universe breathed in, air filled the king of the underworld's lungs. The knot in his eyebrow relaxed. For a moment he stood like the reeds, in the wind.

A boy on the shore.

Breeze through his hair.

No worries.

Then his phone rang.

Hades eyes popped open and he stepped onto the sandy beach, shoes on. "Hades speaking." He answered "Start talking." He began to make his way towards the sound of voices, music, and laughter on the other side of the sand dune. "Yeah. Yeah. I know. I've got to get his signature before we can finalize anything. I know. I know we don't have time. I'll be back as soon as I get the proper paper work." As he walked through, he began to pass others on the beach. Happy go lucky couples and friends, sharing a heatwave together. And then Hades walked by. Their froliking laughter stumbled. Their voices faltered, skidding to a halt. Hades continued on, leaving a shadow not visible to the eye.

"Poseidon!" Hades called. His amphibious brother looked up lazily from his spot in a hammock, surrounded by pastel naiads.

"H-" Poseidon did a double take. "Hades?" He barked out a laugh so deep it could have swallowed a whale. He launched himself into the air, causing the naiads still in the hammock to tumble into each other. "As I live and breath. Everyone! Look who has joined us! My brother, everybody!"

A few naiads perked up, then realized he meant, that brother. And the girls huddled closer into each other, suppressing shivers. And not the good kind.

Poseidon didn't notice the reaction, but Hades did. He always noticed it. The only attention he ever got were stares and whispers.

His brother, wearing a speedo and a hawaain print shirt came over with wide open arms. "You never come to my little solstice celebrations."

"And I don't have plans to either." Hades began to unravel the tube from his back. "I just need a signature for your permit. The tropical storm you created two days ago is about to hit the coast of Crete tomorrow. I need your signature here. And here."

"What's this?"

"Work. Deaths conceived from emergency situations cost a pretty penny. You have to agree for their passage since their family members won't have time. See article 19 line 56 of the Trifecta agreement. And starting winter of 403 per the inflation scale, any deaths after 30 in one act cost double and expounding further after 150-"

"No, no, no." Poseidon pushed the papers away. "Leave this for tomorrow."

"But tomorrow will be too late."

"Party today." Poseidon tapped the cylindrical case. "Work tomorrow."

"I didn't come all this way for nothing." Hades rooted to his spot. "I won't leave here until I get these signatures."

"Good! Enjoy the party."

Hades held his hands out in front of him and pretended to strangle the air. Poseidon nodded and motioned for one of his cupbearers to bring over some summer shandy.

Hades groaned and grabbed Poseidon by the shoulders. His eyes glowed red. "Just sign the fucking papers."

Poseidon smiled though Hades jagged teeth barred violently right in front of him. "Okay, alright. I'll sign them. I'll sign them." Poseidon gave in.

"Good." Hades breathed and brushed off the sand from his suit. He pulled out a pen from his pocket and clicked it, like loading a gun and handed it to his brother. "And then I'll be out of your hair."

"Not now though." Poseidon shook his head and pushed the pen back into Hades chest.

"What?" Hades scowled. "But you-"

"I'll sign them, alright. But only after you join in on the festivities today."

Hades balked. "The festivities?"

Posiedon practically wiggled with excitement. "Yes! You'll be our honored guest!"

Something in Posiedon's carefree expression settled the annoyed anger pooling inside Hades forehead. A new emotion like guilt settled into Hades stomach. And embarrassment. He spoke quietly now. "Listen, Posy. I don't think you understand what me being here-" He looked around at the other guests. As he did, they turned their faces and cowered back. "No one wants me here. I would bring the party down. Just sign these and I'll-"

"No one wants you here?" Poseidon raised his eyebrow amused.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your . . .festivities. But you'll party will be ruined if I stay-"

"Oh poppy cock." Poseidon shooed him off. "Don't be so dramatic. Honestly, you think too much of yourself. I'll tell you what." Posedidon leaned forward. "Give me one hour. For Gaia's sake, get out of that business suit and into something more comfortable. Jump in the ocean. Have a drink. Then I'll sign your permits and contracts."

"No." Hades shook his head. "This is ridiculous. Posy. Why are you being so childish."

"Me? I'm the childish one. I'm inviting you to a party and you're-"

"Being an adult whose trying to prepare for the consequences of your actions." Hades said bitterly. "Honestly, who sets a tropical storm now right around your biggest weekend. What were you thinking?"

Poseidon blushed. "The ocean has no method. No rhyme or reason. It just is." He lied.

Hades' eye twitched. "You control it!"

"No one controls the sea."

"That's literally your job." Hades templed his fingers together.

"And today, the sea is wanting to party." Poseidon turned around gesturing to the beach now nearly full with guests. "You know your options. You can leave now, all sad and whiny with no signed contracts, and a big stick up your but. Or take a chill pill and just be alive and I'll signed your damn papers."

Hades was about to object but before he could Poseidon handed him a cold bottle with a lime. "And besides." Poseidon shrugged conspiratorially. "I'm not the only one that wants you here." He pointed towards the boardwalk. Artemis, Eros, and a certain pink goddess crested the top of the sand dune.

Hades froze for a moment and without taking his eyes off of her, shook hands with Poseidon. "Deal. But I need to borrow some swim trunks."

* * *

Chapter Two

Wrap

* * *

Hades saw Persephone, with Artemis, and Eros move to a few available beach chairs down the way. She carried three beach totes and one shoulder and three umbrellas on the other, completely eclipsing her body from view.. He fumbled by the snowcone truck, landing with his elbow on the high table, casually leaning with his head on his palm. He changed again and leaned his back against the truck. But the hot metal side burned his back. "Ouch." He flinched off of it.

"Are you getting a snow cone or what, buddy?" The satyr watched him change positions a few times. "Whoever you're trying to impress, they're not looking, and if they are, they're pretending not to."

Hades snapped his head to the snowcone operator.

"Eek!" The satyr backed up into his truck. "Um. Sorry, sir. I didn't know who… uh. Here. Free snow cone on the house. T-t-two snowcones. For you and uh, your. . . friend."

"I don't have friends." Hades sneered, smoke practically billowing from his eyes. Then one of Aphrodite's kids hit him on the back of the head with a beachball.

"Oops!" Storge waved apologetically albeit a little awkwardly with his floaties on his arm. "Sorry mister."

Losing all sense of dignity he turned back to the snow cone man. "Ugh. Fine. Give me a blue raspberry and one peach."

With two snow cones in hand he turned back in the direction of the spot Persephone and Artemis had claimed. "New plan." He talked to himself as she maneuvered around the chairs and running children. "Offer her a snow cone. Is this too strong? Oh gods. I should have gotten more snow cones for her friends. I can't just go up to a friend group an give one very attractive lady a gift. Stupid. Eros is over there. He'll laugh at me. Fuck. Abort-abort." Hades spun on his heels, digging into the sand.

"Hades?" A female voice called to him. For a horrifying second he thought it might be Persephone. He sheepishly turned back around. Artemis moved her sunglasses up to look at him. "What the acheron are you doing here?"

"Uh." Hades gulped. "Nothing."

Eros got out his sun bathing reflective board and settled into his chair. "Oh, is that second snow cone for me?" He snickered and closed his eyes against the light.

"No!" Hades said to harshly. "I mean. Uh. No. It's - uh."

"Who's it for then?" He dug in, not letting it up.

Hades turned as red as a sunburn. "N-no one." Persephone wasn't here.

"Too bad Persephone went down to the water." Eros continued. "I know peach is one of her favorite flavors. But if it's not for anyone, you don't mind if I-"

Now this time Hades knew Eros knew. Holding the peach snow cone out of the love god's reach, Hades marched onward, humiliated and defeated. He heard Eros laughing behind him but he didn't care. When he was far enough away he looked down at his hands.

"I don't even like these." He muttered. "What do I do with my hands!" He cried out, causing a few stares from the family of satyrs putting out a beach tent for their baby. "Uh. Here." He handed the parents his snow cones. They hesitated, scared. "Go on, take it before I-" He calmed down. "Please." He mustered.

They grabbed the paper holder with shaking hands.

"There, that didn't kill you, did it?" Hades rolled his eyes.

They jumped. "P-please don't kill us." The satyr mother held her baby closer to her chest.

"Kill you? Why would I- oh right. Death god. King of the Underworld." He rolled his eyes. "You realize I've never killed anyone in my whole life, right? Not even during the war."

His words were lost on them. He groaned and turned out to the sea. "Plan C." He watched the white waves crash against the beach, be pulled back, and crash again. "Walk straight into the ocean and keep going." His feet carried him forward. The sand felt hot and cold against the soles of his feet. His clothes were hanging up neatly in Poseidon's shack. He reckoned he had about one hour before it would be too late and he wouldn't be able to get his clothes back from the room. But that's okay. He wouldn't need them if he just lived out the rest of his life as a sea cucumber.

Someone else could run the underworld in his absence. He would be too busy evading the crushing blows of humiliation and loneliness. As a sea cucumber.

His toes met the first white tendrils of the ocean. His feet sank deep into the wet sand. The water rose again and flooded over his ankles. It felt cool and inviting. He picked up his pace. Forgetting about being a sea cucumber. Remembering his youth. Before the worlds were divided. Before the scars wrapped around his chest. He stepped over a small wave, moving forward, then dove into the next one head first. He crashed into the wave and tangled into something else. Underneath the water, he opened his eyes. A pink body wrapped around his arms. The blue bikini strings around her back floated dangerously loose. He realized too late that his hand was on her butt, his fingers rubbing with the waves over her stretch marks.

"EEE!" Hades launched up, bring his head above water and waded with his arms out. "Sorry! I didn't know!" He started apologizing immediately.

Persephone turned at his voice. "Oh!" Persephone wrung out her pigtails. "It's a person. I thought I swam through some sea-weed or waded through some jellies."

"S-sorry." Hades bobbed with a gentle wave.

Persephone struggled to keep her mouth higher than the salty water. "H-Hades." She smiled full realizing now who was swimming beside her. "I-I didn't expect to see you here." Thank gods Eros talked her out of coming naked. That would be mortifying. To have. . . Hades. . . see her. . .

Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Persephone blinked and held onto Hades shoulder through the next wave. She realized what she was doing too late. Her eyes bugged at her hand on his bare shoulder. She gulped. She'd never seen him in anything but a button down and slacks. The muscles under her hand were a bit more formidable than even she had been dreaming about. He didn't seem to mind supporting her. Didn't seem to mind her hand touching him. Innocently enough. She blushed anyway.

"What are you doing all this way out from the beach?" Hades asked.

"It's not that far." Persephone turned to the beach. "Oh." All the people dotting the sandy shore she could hold between her thumb and forefinger. Even those that had gotten ocean hadn't gone much further than the breaking point. "I'm out here because I'm very good at swimming and apparently very bad at judging distances." She laughed and Hades felt light because of it. "But really, I'm looking for sea shells." She dripped her free hand into her bikini. "See?"

"Um." Hades blushed. Then saw in the palm of her hand iridescent shells, thin as paper.

"I think they're so pretty. I was thinking about making a necklace for my mom or maybe ear rings." She sighed lost in thought again.

"I think that would be lovely." Hades tilted his head, wondering what thoughts were zipping through her head. Then a large wave built much taller than the other waves. It began to break early. Hades lifted Persephone up by her waist while the water washed over him.

"Hades? Are you alright?" Persephone asked, still in the air. His hands on her exposed tummy.

"Are your shells okay?" Hades asked as he spit out the water from the tip of his lips.

"You?" Persephone settled back into his side and Hades palmed the water off his face. "You were worried about my shells?"

"Well, yeah." Hades shrugged. "You, you liked them so much."

Persephone sheepishly held up her empty hand. "The wave surprised me. I didn't want to crush them, so I decided to let them go."

Hades face fell. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Persephone smiled. "That's the ocean for ya."

"It wouldn't have been." Hades furrowed his eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" Persephone felt him tense around her. She realized once again that she was swimming half naked with Hades, her boss, the king of the underworld. He still held onto her waist. Holding her to him. She could easily wrap her legs around him. The moment the thought entered her head she couldn't get it out. Her leg on his hip. Her center ever closer to his. Touching. No one would see it out here. Below the water. Her heart raced.

Maybe during the next wave, she'd say it was for support and lean her body into him. And maybe he wouldn't say anything. Maybe he would pull her closer. Maybe he would grab her thighs and pull them around himself.

A wave was coming. Now was her chance. She moved her legs closer. Her feet touched his knee. It was almost time.

Then her feet touched something else. A zap of pain ricocheted through her leg. She jumped in the water so hard and so fast, she knocked them both over to be funked on by the breaking wave.

"Persephone?" Hades held her steady.

"Ooooooooooowwwwwwww." She kicked her leg up horrified. "It burns. It burns. I think. I don't know. But it really hurts."

"What hurts?"

"Jelly fish."

"What?"

"I got stung on my leg by a Jelly fish." Said through an overwhelming amount of pain.

"Aw, shit." Hades grabbed her up into his arms.

Persephone's voice warbled. "You gotta be careful. They're still out there."

"It's alright. Don't worry about me." Hades began to swim towards the shore with Persephone under his arm. "I don't really feel pain anymore. Not like that."

She was more upset that her leg around his waist plan had sunk than she was about the pain. However, his hands carrying her like she was nothing, feeling secure next to his side as he moved them through to the shore. That was alright. Expect again. Jellyfish. Why couldn't have this been a pool party?

When they got close enough Hades picked up against his chest, like he had after the incident in Tartarus. Like he had when he carried her into his home after the party.

It felt familiar. It felt like home here in a way.

He laid her down on an empty beach chair. He grabbed a towel off of a neighboring chair and covered her with it like a blanket. "I'll be right back." He promised. Persephone held onto his two fingers, the only thing she could grab before she relinquished him.

Hades spied someone drinking from a large water bottle a few chairs down. He stormed up to them. "Excuse me, but there's a goddess that needs this more than you do." Hades snatched the waterbottle right out of his hands.

"Hey, what the hell, dude?"

"Do we have a problem?" Hades turned back and gave his most impressive glower.

The gorgon winced back. "Uh, nah, dude. We chill."

"Good. Now go find a first aid kit and bring it over to me. I'll be over there." He pointed to where Persephone lay. "Got it?"

"Y-yes, sir."

Persephone watched Hades march back across the beach towards her. Water still dripped down his chest. For a moment she thought the odd pattern covering his skin was somehow light reflecting from the water, but the closer he got, the more like filled in cracks into his own skin they appeared to be. Scars. She'd never seen them before. Patterns like a river across his whole body. Light blue, almost pearlescent like the sea shells she had been trying to collect. Ranging all over from his broad shoulders, across his defined pecs, around his chiseled abs.

"H-here." Hades caught her looking and suddenly felt far too exposed. Did she think he was broken? Ugly? Damaged? "Is this the spot?" He pointed at a red welt near the side of her foot.

She nodded silently. Hades gently poured the clean filtered water over it, rinsing away any remaining toxins. He didn't look at her, even though he could feel her eyes once again on him. He felt oddly vulnerable right now, even though he wasn't the one laying down with a jellyfish sting. Just as the water had run out, he felt her fingers on his back. Tracing lines across his skin. He shivered and turned to look at her. Forgetting once again to breath.

"S-sorry." Persephone blinked. "Do they hurt?" She asked sheepishly. She pulled her hand back.

"No." Hades shook his head. "It-it actually feels. . . nice." He squirmed. Why did he say that?

Then suddenly her fingers traced once again along his back. Catching remaining drops of water as they traveled across his skin.

He breathed heavily.

Was this really happening right now? He looked down her her foot, ashamed.

"I forget about them sometimes." He shook his head. "I forget how ugly they are. I'm sorry." He began to fold in on himself.

"What?" Persephone sat up, got dizzy, but steadied herself with his shoulder once more. "Ugly?" She touched his face softly. "I-" She blushed. "I actually think they're. . ." She winced in pain.

"That bad, huh?"

"No." Persephone shook her head. "No. It still stings."

"Someone should be bringing by a first aid kit. I can get you some more water. A-and I should probably put a shirt on or something" He moved to stand, but Persephone held his shoulder down.

"Don't leave." She caught his eye and something serious passed between them. "And, what I was going to say, is I think you're… well, what I mean, you know we were talking about your. . . and I don't think they're ugly."

Hades arched his eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Not one bit."

"So, you're saying I should keep my shirt off?" Hades said the words before he realized what kind of sentence he had put out into the universe. He opened his mouth up as if he could swallow the words back in.

"I'm saying. You without a shirt on, is a pretty good distraction." Persephone bit her lip and winced. Oh gods. She'd gone too far.

"Well then." Hades tapped his thigh. "It would be my duty as a gentlemen to stay with you and keep my shirt off. For first aid purposes, clearly"

"Yes. For first aid." Persephone grinned. "You have nothing to be ashamed about you know."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I almost came here completely naked."

Hades wheezed.

"You okay, Hades?"

"Y-yeah. I'm just picturing you-" He stopped immediately. "I mean. I'm not picturing you naked. I mean. I'm picturing what- well, you see- I'm was just-" He stammered on for a bit. "I'm sorry what was the question?"

Then the gorgon came running in with the first aid kit in hand. "Here ya go, dude. Sir. Sir dude." He awkwardly passed off the red carrier.

"Thank you." He started to open up the case and noticed the gorgon was still standing there. "That'll be all, thank you."

"Ah, yeah. Tight." The gorgon nodded taking his eyes off of Persephone and back to Hades unscrupulous face.

"Leave." Hades ordered.

"Yup." The gorgon left kicking up sand as she went.

Persephone smiled. "You know. I never pictured you as a beach person."

"No?" Hades got out a cream and began to rub it in his palm warming it up before he placed it gently over the jellyfish sting. "I actually love the beach."

"Really?" Persephone raised herself on her elbows. "I thought you hated sand." She recalled their first phone conversation.

Hades stopped in his tracks and blushed, caught out in his lie. "Well. Sand is my least favorite part of the beach, that's true."

"Ahuh." Persephone gripped his free hand while the cream settled on her skin. "So you lied to me?"

Hades gasped. "I didn't lie. I just." His shoulder slumped. He turned to her, feeling more exposed again than he ever had. "I suppose a lie is still a lie, even the ones you tell yourself."

Persephone's accusatory expression rearranged. She swooped a wild strand of hair from his face. "What are you telling yourself?"

"That I had any control over my life." Hades bit back more words. "Sorry. I don't, I really don't want to make this about me. You're the one in pain. How are you?"

"You talking about yourself is making it feel better."

"More of a distraction?"

"Mhm."

"So if I keep talking, can I put my shirt back on?"

"No!" Persephone yelled.

Hades beamed. "Alright, alright." Hades slapped his hand down on the beach chair next to hers. It was clearly occupied by someone else who was probably enjoying some of the festivities, but he didn't care and dragged it closer to Persephone. He laid along side her in his new chair.

"Swimming is the only thing I do that clears my head." Hades sighed. "To be perfectly honest, when we drew lots. I knew I wasn't going to rule the heavens. I didn't particularly want to. But, now don't tell anyone this, I'm only telling you because you're in pain."

Persephone nodded on her side, staring at Hades.

"I wanted to rule the seas." Hades admitted so quietly it nearly got drowned out in the waves. "I didn't want to be king of the underworld."

Persephone moved her hand from her chest, to Hades chest. He looked up at her, scared for letting someone in so closely. Terrified of being hurt again.

"That must have been awful." She sympathized. "For what it's worth, I think you would have made a fine King of the Seas, just as you are a fine King of the Underworld."

Hades blushed.

Persephone pulled herself closer. She picked up the arm rest and moved it back on hers and Hades' chair. Before he could question it, Persephone did what she had wanted to in the water. She wrapped her free leg around his waist and pushed his back closer to her. She wiggled her chest closer to and laid a hand on his neck. She felt him fully against her. Her whole body on curve from his chest down to his shin. "For first aide purposes." She said with a smile on her face. "You know, got to keep it elevated."

"Yes. But of course." Hades grinned back.

Posiedon walked down the rows of chairs with Hades signed documents. He stopped in his tracks at the scene in front of him. He hid the case behind his back and cleared his throat. "Ahem."

Hades jumped at the sound of his brother's voice.

"Good news. I'm canceling the Tsunami. So no paper work needs to be signed. No work needs to be done further on the matter."

"Wh-" Hades sputtered.

"Yeet!" Poisedon tossed Hade's document case into the ocean.

"Hey, that's not a one use only-"

"No need to thank me." Poisedon waved his hands in the air and took a bow. "You should stay though. Enjoy Persephone, um, er, the party." Poseidon grinned again and walked backwards away.

"Hey," Hades eyes narrowed. "You didn't use that tsunami as a trick to get me to come down here, did you?"

"What?" Poseidon yelled though clearly within hearing distance. "Can't hear you. Too far away. Music is loud. Talk later."

* * *

Chapter Three

An epilogue

* * *

Hades greeted his brother as warmly as he could, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Posiedon grinned up at him with a knowing wink.

Before shaking the king of the underworld's hands, Poseidon wiped the sweat from his beer bottle on his swim trunks. "Glad to see you made it this year."

"Wouldn't miss it for the worlds." Hades answered. He hadn't missed a single one since that first time. Now it was the seventh annual summer solstice party Hades had attended. He'd gone thousands of years without ever RSVPing. Now it wasn't even a question. Back in Hades, the realm, his workers had the day off. An actual bonafid paid holiday. Even the shades had the day off. Things were certainly different now. His hands shook nervously by his side. "Are, um, the guests-"

"You're actually early." Poseidon clapped his hand on Hades shoulder and he nearly jumped out of his skin. This was going to be a miserable waiting game. It always was. "Come on, help me set up. Get your mind off things."

* * *

"Does it still sting?" Hades asked while his hand gingerly caressed Persephone's leg that had wrapped securely around his hip. She was buried in his chest. He felt her cool breath dry the rest of the salt water along the crevices of his torso.

"Hmm?" Persephone nuzzled. She blinked her eyes open. "Mmm-Oh. I think I fell asleep."

"S-sorry." Hades eyes widened and he cursed himself under his breath. How dare he disturb this precious angel from sleep. What kind of monster would do such a thing. He would have to repent.

"It's okay. I'm actually getting kind of hot. But to answer your question, my leg does feel a lot better." She stretched her toes out experimentally. Lazily, she rolled over and yawned, arching her back up while her arms lifted over her head. She soaked up the rays of the sun, feeling the warmth radiate through to her bone. Once all the breath had been purged, she returned to her previous position. Holy shit. Her eyes blinked open to face the glorious wall of Hades chest muscles. Tight sinews. The light blue scars before her like a tapestry. Artwork that would otherwise be hung in a museum. Her eyelashes tickled tickled his right nipple.

Hades. King of the Underworld. Her boss. Her friend. Her mother's frenemy.

And Persephone had her leg on his waist.

His hands on her back.

She didn't breath, worried that if she did, this would tumble away like a precarious jenga tower.

Hades too thought of this dangerous arrangement. Thought of her skin on his. The heat between them. She was so small. He realized he could wrap one hand around her, but he'd need more than one hand for other places on her body.

And the fabric of Hades swim shorts tightened. "Uh-oh." Before Persephone noticed, Hades quickly turned away, moving Persephone away, returning her legs to her side of the beach chair. He hunched over his knees; his back turned to her.. "I-uh, you know, we should really. Um." He said while his arms were sweeping the sand beneath him for anything. Anything at all. He grabbed up a shovel wildly. Dammit. It'll have to do. "Let's build a sand castle."

"A sand castle?" Persephone turned to him but he was already galloping towards the pitched himself onto his knees, his floppy hair bounced in the ocean breeze, he and began to dig out huge chunks of dark sand. "Uh. Ok." She shrugged and joined him.

"Should I get a bucket for water?" She asked while touching his shoulder casually.

"Aaaah-" Hades panted, wiggling out from her touch. That only made his situation worse."Aaaauuuum. Yes. Yes that would be a good idea."

"Oooookay." Persephone put her hands on her hips eyeing him curiously. Hades moved a mound of sand strategically in front of his crotch. He squinted up at her apologetically.

When she walked away Hades sighed in relief and smacked his forehead with a sandy palm. "Whew, that was close." He stared down at his swim trunks. "You, sir, have terrible timing. Now get your shit together and-" Hades looked up to see Persephone bending over to collect the incoming waves into a pail. "Calm-" The waves were stronger than she anticipated and she had to widen her stance to remain steady. Her curves testing the limits of her small bikini. "Down." Hades finished pathetically. "Oh, stick a trident in me. I'm done."

Persephone bounded back. The water sloshed beside her. Her bikini top tried desperately to follow along with her bouncing movements, and not doing a good job of it. Hades felt attacked. Persephone landed on her knees by the sand piles Hades had dug. She leaned over to collect them into more defined clumps and poured water on them to make them hold their shape. All the while pushing one of her most impressive assets together.

Hades yelped. "O-o-o-o-on-n-n-n second thought." Hades struggled to speak. He turned away from her again and began to dig furiously into the sand. Dig like he did to build the underworld. He kicked up sand everywhere, shoveling it like a fiend.

"Wha-" Persephone tilted her head and watched as Hades dug a huge Hades sized hole and before she could say anything he jumped inside of it and clawed the sand back up upon him. Hades sighed as the cold sand enveloped him. Did he look like an idiot. Most certainly. It was better than the alternative.

"You okay, there?" Persephone arched her eyebrow.

"Yup." Hades answered. A blue head just above the sand. A stern look on his face, making it all the more comical. "Wonderful, thank you." His red eyes looked past her. He should have turned into a sea cucumber while he had the chance. Now he was going to have to suffer the rest of the party buried to his head.

* * *

Hades helped pitch a tent into the sand. He wrapped the rope into a sailor's knot to keep the tarp taught.

"You're forgetting something." Eros snickered with his back against one of the poles.

"No, I'm not." Hades barked back.

"Touchy, are we? A bit on edge?" He hovered delightfully in the air. Hades rolled his eyes. He knew he should be nice to him, being Persephone's friend and all, but being nice was going to be saying nothing at all right now. At least Hades was doing something and not loafing about enjoying other people's misery. "What is it? Halfway mark, right?"

Hades gritted his teeth.

"Alright, alright. Silent type, I get it. Well uh," Eros leaned in. "There's one more thing for you to bring in."

"I checked the van before I-"

"Not the van." Eros scratched his neck. "There's something that needs to be hoisted up from the dock. You should uh, you should go do that."

Hades eyed him with a withering look. Eros winked and fiddled with the top of his peplos. Mortal realm clothes. And all the walls dropped from the King of the Underworld as he understood.

"The-the dock?" The king questioned, vulnerably.

"Mhm." Eros grinned. "Better hurry before the tide takes it back out." He yelled as Hades dashed away and out of earshot. Eros giggled to himself. "True love." He sighed. "You love to see it." His wings spread out magnificently.

"Hello!" Hades felt the boards groan underneath him as he stopped suddenly at the edge of the dock. The ocean below him. The horizon in front. But no one else was here. "Hello?" He called again. He spun around. "Is this a trick?" He tried to spy Eros but he was already gone. "Ugh. Never trust a love god." Hades tossed his shirt off and let it drift into the water below. He sat down and let his feet dangle over the edge of the dock. The boards warped beneath his tensed hands.

Then something from below shook the dock. Hades looked up in time to see the ocean spit back out his shirt. The wet clothes landed next to him with a loud slap.

Before he could react, a second article of wet clothing joined it. A white dress.

* * *

"Heya, Hades." Hermes casually called to the head in the sand. "Isn't this the best." He waved at the beach in general. No shoes no shirt. Well, actually. Still got my shoes." He pointed at this golden sandals. "They're waterproof. But surprisingly not helpful at all when swimming."

Hades didn't even acknowledge him. He justed kept staring out into the sea.

"So, uh. Are you stuck?" Hermes looked around but no one else was there with him.

"No." Hades grumbled.

"Did someone bury you here and then run off?" Hermes guessed.

"No."

"Did you bury yourself in the sand because you got an embarrassing erection and then the girl got hungry and went to go check out the taco truck situation?"

"Wh-How did you-?"

"Been there done that." Hermes shrugged. "Happens to the best of us. Come on," Hermes found the shovel and proceeded to help Hades out of the hole of his own doing.

"You know." Hades eyed Hermes with a deadly red eye while he began to pat away the sand covering his whole body. "Aren't you supposed to be sick?"

"Huh?" Hermes cocked his head to the right.

"If I remember correctly, you couldn't deliver the natural disaster documents today because you were 'under a curse.'"

"Oh. That." Hermes went even redder than he already was. "Well. I uh, I got better. Curse got, um, undone. Oh, look, it's Persephone." He pointed towards the food trucks. And then Hermes mysteriously vanished.

Persephone groaned and stuffed her face with a veggie taco.

"What's up buttercup?" Eros nudged her arm.

"I don't know." Persephone shrugged. "I thought. Well, I think I went too far. I think I made him uncomfortable. He started kind of ignoring me and acting strange." She shrugged. "Maybe I'm the strange one."

"Ugh. This is stupid. I normally live for this but I can't stand this anymore." Eros slammed down his taco.

Persephone gasped. "Your taco!"

"No, Persephone. Your taco." Eros pointed at her. "Just for crying out loud, go talk to him."

"That's scary though." Persephone pouted. "It's easier to not say things and just curl up into his chest and not have to talk about our feelings or what things mean. Ugh. Eros. You should have seen him there in the sand." Persephone closed his eyes. "Oh, gods I just wanted to grab him by his hair and kiss him right then and there."

"Mhm. Mhm." Eros nodded, holding back a wicked grin. He grabbed Persephone's shoulders and spun her around. "Oh look. It's Hades. Hi there."

Hades stood with his mouth open.

Persephone burned. "Did. . . did you hear all that?"

* * *

"Kore." Hades stood up slowly as kelp began to grow out of the calm ocean and with it rose the Queen of the Underworld. It had been fifty nine days, 11 hours, and 12 minutes since he saw his wife. She stood before him now completely naked. The sea water dripped down her body, trails following her curves, just as Hades eyes did.

"My love." Persephone reached up and gently touched Hades arm. They both shivered at the contact. They've been away too long, even the hint of touch was more than either of them could handle.

"Did you forget your swim-suit…" Hades grinned. "Again?" Per the arrangement with Demeter. Persephone was allowed to attend all family functions. This was one of the few opportunities they had with each other during her duties on the mortal realm.

"I swim better without one." She leaned in and kissed the tops of his lips. He pulled her closer and wrapped her up into his arms. Before their need grew to hot, she pulled back. "Happy solstice." She grabbed Hades neck and pulled him off the dock. They fell back together into the ocean.

Poseidon, Hermes, and Eros clinked their beer bottles together. They too were celebrating the anniversary of their best work yet.


	36. Sexual HealingD Appointment

Rated M

Set in the future when Hades and Persephone have to sneak around in their relationship with each other or face the wrath of Demeter, Persephone still finds ways to fill up Hades calendar and Hades fills her up too.

* * *

Sexual Healing: Dick Appointment

* * *

Someone knocked on his office door. Without taking his eyes away from his forecasting report he spoke loudly over a large cigar, "It's a glass door, if you get smudges on it I'll-" Hades looked up from his computer. "Oh!" Shocked, he stood up, bumping his knees on the top of the desk. His secret girlfriend stepped up towards his elevated office. Blue petal like a bread crumb trail behind her as she approached an unsure fate. She looked up at him with heavy eyelids. "Persephone. I wasn't expec-"

The fluffy coat around Persephone's shoulder fell to the floor in a pile of fur, fabric, and diamonds.

Hades gulped and choked on his own cigar. Underneath that fluffy coat wasn't much else. Pink legs in thigh high socks stepped towards him. Her plaid mini skirt lifted as she sat on his desk.

Spying her bare pink ass, Hades straightened his tie before asking mischievously, "Do you have an appointment?" He sat back down casually, and puffed a line of smoke from his cigar, enjoying the view.

"Well, actually." Persephone leaned across his desk and tapped on his day planner. "I was hoping I could squeeze you in." She pushed her breasts together and battered her eyelashes innocently.

Hades hands twitched on his keyboard. "I think you mean,'you were hoping _I_ could squeeze you in."

"No." Persephone placed a hand on his laptop and closed it down. "I meant what I said."

A blush rose behind Hades cheeks and the front of his pants tightened. "Let me just. Pencil you in." Without taking his eyes off her, and her lips, her neck, her waist, her cleavage, or her thighs, Hades grabbed a pen and opened up his planner. He picked a random page and scribbled something in the margins. Then with a sudden movement he flung his planner off the desk, the pencil cup with it. The writing utensils scattered on the floor as he rose back up and took Persephone into his hands. Right before his lips crashed against hers he shifted to the side.

He drew a deep steadying breath. "Hey, boys." He spoke into a microphone at the corner of his desk. "We're going to have to postpone this conference call."

"Dammit, Hades." Zeus' voice crackled from the other line. "You couldn't have just let the call keep _going_ could you?"

"Hades, my dude. You've been holding out on us." Poseidon chimed in.

"Now, now. There's nothing untoward happening with me and Miss Persephone. Get your brains out of the gutter."

"BUT!" They both interjected and then Hades pressed the off button. He flung the call system too from his desk and leaned back over to Persephone.

"Sorry about that." Hades hopped that hadn't ruined their momentum.

She grabbed his tie in her hand and twisted it around her wrist, pulling him closer. "Nothing untoward happening, huh?" She breathed on his throat.

"Sure." Hades bent down and glided his nose along her jawline. His fingers just ever so slightly brushing against her wrist. Their breath collided hot on each others skin. "Our relationship, Miss Persephone is irreproachable. Completely appropriate and-" Persephone nipped at his ear while one hand slide down his chest to his belt buckle. "Absolutely innocent." His eyes roamed over her body like a sailor seeing land on the horizon. Then he caught her round eyes. Suddenly, Hades wrapped his hands around her bare midriff, just under her white crop top, and pulled her fully up onto the desk. His forehead rested against whispered frantically, breaking out of character, "I've missed you."

She smiled. "I've missed you too." Persephone began to push his suit coat off his shoulders, but then she got caught up by his deltoids. Had he been working out? Her hands rubbed back and forth across his shoulders and down his shoulder blades.

"Did anyone see you?" He asked intensely, not letting her move even an inch away.

"No."

"You weren't followed?"

"No." Persephone smiled, finally managing to wiggle the coat off.

"You know there could be-" Persephone placed a finger on the King of the Underworld's lips.

"Nothing can stop us from being together. No one can either." She leaned in and replaced the finger on his mouth her own and kissed him deeply, feeling his soft skin give way to her. He held her close and then sighed.

"I just don't want you to get into trouble." He played with a lock of her hair.

"Oh, it's much too late for that." Persephone grinned. She pulled her feet up in front of her and then balancing with her arms behind her on the desk, she kicked Hades chest slowly so that he sat down in his chair and wheeled back. Hades raised a questioning eyebrow, before grabbing her foot still on his chest and kissing the top of the sock. He looked up her leg, over her shins, her knees, her thighs, to the beginning of her skirt. From this position, nothing of her was barred from his vision. She wasn't wearing any underwear. Hades cigar fell to the floor before fizzing out of existence. Persephone placed her other foot onto his shoulder and pressed him down into the chair further, afraid he might advance up in excitement, but she had him right where she wanted him. "I'm loads of trouble now. Some might even call me," She licked her lips. "Naughty."

Hades shivered. When he spoke again, his voice came out low as if from under the earth itself. "And why do they call you that?"

Persephone's foot dragged down his chest and rubbed at the growing bulge in Hades pants. "Apparently my new boyfriend is a bad influence."

A flash of hunger seized him and he tilted forward, his hands running down her leg right towards the places her mini skirt didn't cover, but she slammed him back down again. "Ah-ah." She shook her head. "We're being - what did you say, irreproachable, innocent, and appropriate."

Hades clicked his mouth. "Then what do you call this?" He gestured to her foot still fondling his crotch.

"Well." Persephone smiled coyly. "Mother said you're not allowed to touch me."

Hades winced and cold steel slipped through his veins.

"But," Persephone continued, dropping her legs to the edge of the desk. "She didn't say anything about this." The goddess of spring bent forward and undid his zipper. The bulge behind his briefs filled out the new available space. Without hesitation, she slid off the desk and got onto the floor before the king of the underworld. Grinning up innocently, she pinched her own nipples through her white shirt until the dark fushia of her nipple showed through.

"Are you dressed like a promiscuous school girl to taunt me?" He asked amused and frustrated. The thigh highs and the plaid skirt. . .

She leaned back on her thighs and shrugged. "I am a promiscuous school girl." Persephone paused. "For you." She clarified.

Hades' fingers reached for her, nearly hooking on the bottom of her shirt, but then he gripped the armrests and gasped as her small hands released him from the fabric prison.

Persephone bit her lip and mewled just at the sight of him and the thought of what she would do with him. Persephone hands caressed his inner thigh, drawing ever closer to his root. "You're wrong you know."

"Apparently about a great many things." Hades said through clenched teeth, bracing himself. "What specifically this time?"

"You said once that you have no worshippers." She took a deep breath and rose up on her knees."You have one."

Hades eyes rolled back as she took him up into her small warm hands. Pumping from the base and pulling through, her hands pushed his sheath across his crown and back down again. He groaned involuntarily. She moved rhythmically, mimicking the motions of her own hips, grinding at the floor. He grew even more, the soft skin tightened to its limit filled with the lusty blood of a powerful god. Her hands worshiped him. She wanted her mouth to sing his praises too.

She leaned forward and , gently, kissed his crown. A smile spread her lips around him as his tender member twitched excitedly. But then Hades pushed her away suddenly.

"S-s-sorry." Hades began to pant and he held her head in his hand, softly, but turned her away from his cock. "Uh." He took a deep breath and an adorable little v formed between his eyebrows. "S-s-sorry."

Persephone blinked, feeling somehow cut off and vulnerable. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked concerned. "Did I hurt you?"

"N-n-n-n-no." Hades finally got out after a moment of insufferable stuttering. His fist clenched, angry at himself. He shook his head and laughed darkly. "I. . . have issues." He sighed and looked apologetically down at Persephone. "It's not you."

"What. . . what just happened?" Persephone was trying to understand the vibe now.

Hades swallowed painfully. "It's kind of silly really."

"I'm sure it's not." Persephone empathized and leaned her head on his thigh. _(AN: I need a shirt that says "thicc thighs & empathize") _

"Here." Hades picked Persephone up off the floor and cradled her to his chest. In his lap, she felt his erection still warm and thick against her bare cheeks. He drew in a deep breath and gently glided a finger tip across her bottom lip.

"You're avoiding the subject." Persephone spoke around his finger.

"I don't want to ruin the mood."

"Come on, Hades." She kissed his palm. "You know what we agreed on. We'd lie to everyone else, as long as we tell each other the truth." She kissed him again and then sat upright on his lap. "So, why don't you want me to-" Persephone tried to find a tactful way of saying it, then shrugged and just said, "-suck your dick?"

Hades blushed. "I've never let anyone. . ." He swallowed. "Uh, anyone… "

"Suck your dick?"

"Yeah." Hades scratched the back of his head and stared up at the ceiling. "Still. . . dealing with . . . you know. . ."

Persephone shrugged. "No, I don't."

Hades placed a hand over his eyes and hurriedly said, "It's so stupid. I realize it doesn't make sense. But I still have n-n-n-n-n-n-nightmares about being eaten." He shivered but it wasn't the good kind. "S-s-s-s-so _that_ makes me nervous."

"Oh!" Persephone's eyes widened. "Oh gosh, I didn't realize."

"How could you?" Hades sighed.

"Damn." Persephone shook her head and nuzzled into his chest. "I really wanted to-" She stopped. She wanted to know what he tasted like. Wanted to know what he felt lick against her tongue. Wanted to swallow him. But these words might trigger painful memories if she spoke them so directly allowed. "I just wanted to make you feel good. But you're not being silly at all. Sorry. I won't try that again."

"What?" Hades blinked. "You won't?"

"N-no." Persephone walked two fingers across his pectoral muscles, wishing she had been able to spring his button down apart earlier. "Not unless you're comfortable with it. I don't wanna push you into something you don't want to do." She kissed his jaw. "I'll think of something else." She let her legs fall to either side of his hips. "I've got a few other things in mind."

While he once again moved a finger along her lip, Hades contemplated something. His eyebrows furrowed, knit together in concentration.

"Or, Should I?" Persephone motioned for the door. "Should I go?"

"Don't you dare." Hades grabbed her thighs. He wheeled the chair forward until her rump hit the edge of the desk. His bent down and kissed her, not letting go of her legs. She moved up on him. Hades let Persephone open his lips apart with her tongue and she drunk him up into her kiss.

He pushed her up, back onto the desk and spread her legs apart. He began to kiss along her thighs nearly nibbling the bottom of her mini skirt.

"Now, Hades." Persephone leaned back on her elbows. Her feet found some kind of footing on the arm rests besides Hades. "I believe this _was_ specifically forbidden."

"What?" Hades grinned ruefully as he moved the skirt out of the way. "This?" He slid his lips right to the center of her desire and gently prodded her bud with his tongue. Persephone moaned. Her hands flexed involuntarily knocking of a pile of folders to the floor. "So, you're saying that I should stop?" Hades asked between sucking up her little flower between his teeth and then massaging her back down with his tongue.

"Don't-" Persephone mewled.

"Don't what?" Hades eyed her over her mons and over her breast, to her wilting expression.

"Don't stop." She ordered.

"As you wish." Hades feasted again, with a new urgency in the strength of his tongue. Persephone moaned again. One of her hands clutched around her own breast and held on for dear life, and the other reached down between her legs and into his white hair. She massaged the top of his head, keeping him on task. He flicked his tongue around her like the flames of desire itself. The constant rolls of delight as she twitched and shivered beneath him, kept him going. At one point he grabbed her legs and shrugged them up on top of his shoulders so that her hips were in the air. He held her to himself and lapped at her pleasure deliriously. Her fingernails scratched along his scalp now before she pulled them weakly to her chest. Her cries and moans growing more desperate, more intense. Hades spelled her name in the greek alphabet with the movement of his tongue. Persephone. Persephone. Persephone. His own kind of worship to her. She bucked underneath him but he held her steady. Her toes curled on his shoulders.

"Persephone." He murmured against her, sensing how close she was. She tensed up suddenly and then fell back all at once upon his desk, overcome with a ricochet of intense pleasure. He kissed her pleasure softly. Like rose petals, he kissed her under lips too. Kiss her thighs. An electric current she would gratefully die by zinged through her.

Hades kissed her belly. He pulled her shirt up and grabbed her breast into his mouth and she moaned again as he fondled her sensitive skin with this lips. He stood up to continue forward by kissing along her clavicle. Kissed her throat and dragged his teeth up to her jaw. She shivered again and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling his hips close to hers.

He hovered over her. His eyes concentrating again. That adorable v appearing between his eyebrows.

"Yes?" Persephone booped his nose. "Can I help you?"

"I think you can." He said with the same brooding expression. Then suddenly he crashed his lips against her and kissed her with a new determination.

Persephone positioned herself under him, ready to be taken fully and completely. They'd said they wouldn't anymore, but that was a preposterous thing to promise. That was like trying to take oxygen out of the air. But then Hades pulled away. "Do you still wish to. . . eat the pomegranate seeds?"

"Huh?"

"You know." Hades blushed.

"You mean suck your dick?" Persephone grinned.

"Well. Yeah."

"Mhm." Persephone nodded. She stroked his forearm that rested on her chest. "If you're okay with that."

"I want you to." He said finally. "I-" He took a deep breath and said with utmost sincerity. "I trust you." The statement hung in the air collecting weight until it hit the ground.

Persephone beamed and pushed up into a sitting position, kissing him recklessly while they both moved back to Hades chair. She sat in his lap again, moving to the side so that she had easy access to Hades' family jewels while they made out. He grumbled delightfully, as she pumped him in his hand and he throbbed uncomfortably for her.

"I won't hurt you." Persephone promised.

"I know." Hades kissed her hair, holding back a sudden surge of emotion.

"I want you to feel good." Persephone explained and then once again kneeled before him, softly taking her position in front of his modern throne. "You deserve that." She angled his cock up and brushed her lips across his crown. "You deserve this." She kissed his cock and pushed through until he had broken through the seal of her lips. Finally fulfilling her promise to worship him, she pressed her lips along his shaft and bobbed on him. Her tongue played with the hood of his foreskin. Hades breath hitched. She kept an eye on his expression, waiting for him to anxiously freeze or push her away again. But as she continued to charge him up within her mouth, the more and more Hades fell into the complete intoxication of pleasure. He gulped and gripped her hand to his chest.

Meanwhile Persephone absolutely squirmed in happiness for the waves of pleasure she was able to bestow upon him. She could feel him on her tongue, quiver. Pride swelled up inside her just as his swelling member, hot, and throbbing twitched between her lips.

She pulled out for air. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Hades panted lazily.

"You don't want me to stop?"

"No." Hades shook his head with heavy eyelids. "You've bewitched me," He said finally able to form an actual sentence together. He was thoroughly convinced that Persephone's mouth had invoked some kind of invocation. The sensations of her tongue rubbing along the veins of his shaft, pulling and pushing on top of him. She held the king of the underworld between her teeth and he would never be able to repay her for her generosity. She fully realized the power that she had in this moment over him. All his body issues and all his fears, but she made him shiver in pleasure. He would spend a thousand lifetimes to make this moment up to her. To think he'd been missing out on this kind of sensation all his life -he moaned as the pleasure built up nearly to a tipping point - but then he wasn't missing out on anything if it hadn't been Persephone. This was some kind of healing. Some kind of magic.

"Hey boss." Thanatos touched down at the bottom of his office with his wings out. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and a report file in the other. "Just got a look into tomorrow's schedule and I think we need to-"

"GET OUT OF MY OFFICE RIGHT NOW." Hades yelled. He pushed himself and Persephone closer to the desk to conceal her.

"But we have a one on one." He scratched his head and looked at his watch to make sure he had the time right.

Hades slammed his fist on his desk and looked up with wild bewildered eyes. Persephone curled up at the back of Hades desk, hidden by the front paneling. A grin twisted up the side of her face and she began to stroke Hades cock while Thanatos was still in the room.

Hades made a soft squeak and covered it up with a cough. "Thanatos," He said very quietly. His hands gripped the armrests intensely. "If you don't get the fuck out of my office right now I will shred your wings from your back and feed them to my dog."

"Uh. Okay. I guess we'll reschedule." Thanatos backed up. A giggle erupted from underneath the desk. "What was that?" Thanatos tilted his head to the side.

"NOW." Hades seethed.

Thanatos ran, tripping over Persephone's coat on the floor, but he didn't stop.

"AND CLOSE THE GODDAMN DOOR!" Hades thundered. Once he was out of the room, Hades slumped in his chair and covered his eyes with his hand. "I'm going to need a more private office." He muttered. "Fucking glass doors." A pink hand reached out from underneath his desk and twirled along his cock. Pink lips followed.

Hades shuddered as she continued where she had left off. Her tongue a spellweaver. Her lips a ritual. The pleasure a sacrifice that he didn't feel worthy of. The tension built from scratch again but the path was already blazing. He bucked up into her mouth now, hitting the back of her throat. She gagged around his girth and her eyes watered to keep him contained. He found her lock of her hair and he twisted his finger into it, pulling tight. Persephone moaned now too.

"I'm close." Hades trembled. Persephone's rhythm was relentless and Hades bucked wildly now. His breath hitched. "Oh, Persephone." He moaned tortured in pleasure. "Kore. Oh. Fuck. Me."

She gasped and he came powerfully onto her shirt. It dripped down to her belly. They both breathed heavily. Hades reached down and pulled her up into his lap. He nuzzled into her, sleep dragging him down. "Sorry about your shirt." He muttered, not really that apologetic. He rubbed his hand over her stomach, massaging in his fluid to her skin like lotion. A warmth neither of them could explain absorbed his cum quickly.  
In response, Persephone purred and kissed his cheek. "Did I make you feel good?"

"Mhm." Hades nodded. "Too good. So good in fact, I'm afraid I don't think I'll be able to let you go back." He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her into his chest like a teddy bear.

Persephone laughed. "Well, I'll be sure to make this a recurring appointment."

"Fill my calendar." Hades kissed her forehead.

"I will when I can." Perspehone sighed, eyeing her coat on the floor. She'd have to go back soon.

"You know," Hades followed her gaze. He didn't want their time to be over so quickly either. "I have some more meetings today I'd love to cancel."


	37. Such Small Things

**Such Small Things**

* * *

 _Summary:_

 _Set in the future, Persephone loses control during a quarrel with her boyfriend, Hades, and ends up in an unexpected place. Having to confront and prove to an unlikely character just why she belongs by the King of the underworld's side._

* * *

Where am I?

Persephone opened her eyes to a bright light. Her pupils shrank much like her perception of herself in the universe. Down. Down till a speck of sand, lost amongst the beach sure to be dragged out to sea.

"Not again." She huffed and sat up, trying to remember the last few minutes before she — her hand gripped a cold dark stone — before she came here. But where is here? She spun, twisting at her waist to lean against the rocky surface with both of her palms. Completely ridiculous. One minute she was arguing with Hades having their first real fight as a couple and she lost her control again. And ran. Ran to whatever this place was.

"Huh." Persephone struggled to her feet stumbling against the uneven rocky surface. She looked out at the horizon but all she saw was the same landscape. The same barren rock stretched out until it met the skyline. Persephone breathed in slowly, allowing a tiny sliver of fear to creep in. This didn't look like any place Persephone had ever been to. No sight of anything familiar. No people. No plants. What was it that Hades said to her just moments ago? "Do you?" His heart stricken eyes set under quivering eyebrows. Angry on the surface but sadness just a layer deeper. "Or are you just trying to prove it? Who are you trying to prove it too?"

She stumbled back. The soles of her feet scratched along the rough surface of the stone. "What did you do this time, Persephone?" She gulped. An array of comforting butterflies fluttered from her shoulder, shades of white and gentle yellow. The only spots of color. She stared up at the sky again and tilted her head. It was so vastly bright, but there was no sun. The sky was white, as if clouded, but no cloud in the sky. Just light from above. And dark from below.

"Ah." A deep voice that sounded like the first bite of a ripe berry verberated into the core of Persephone. "So you're Persephone." The voice moved and echoed all around her slowly funneling into one point behind her. "I've heard so much about you." A large shadow shifted over her. When Persephone turned she saw a woman. Dull eyes stared blankly into Persephone. Arms the color of summer sunsets reached out to her. "Come on. You look like you need a cup of tea. Come. Come."

The woman turned and grabbed a kettle from midair and set it on a stove that Persephone was pretty sure wasn't there before. "You like tea, right?" She asked while dropping in a few dried leaves into the heating water.

"Go on. Have a seat. It's not much." The woman sighed. "But it's home."

"I'm sorry." Persephone watched the woman with an odd feeling in her stomach. "I- I didn't mean to intrude. I'm not sure how I got here. I didn't mean to. I'll leave —"

"No-no." She waved a mauve hand. "I invited you. Please. Be my guest." The woman pointed at a chair.

"Standing is fine." Persephone said. "I don't mind."

"But I do." The woman stepped towards her. "Tch." She clicked her mouth in a familiar way. "Be as you are then." She turned back around almost as if in slow motion. "I suppose you already know who I am."

Persephone wedged her hands together behind her back. "Yes."

When the titaness of the gods turned around again she held a tray with two cups, a bowl of sugar and a small spoon.

Persephone reached for the cup. "It's nice to meet you, Rhea."

Rhea grinned, her deep pink cheeks pulling at her lips. "So what is it they teach the young gods these days about their history?"

"Um." Persephone stared into her cup.

"Suppose I should be grateful if they teach anything at all." Rhea sighed and took a sip of tea. "Grateful." She rolled her eyes, losing herself in memories Persephone couldn't even imagine. After the Titan war, when the traitors six defeated their father, famously locking him away in the depths of the Underworld. . . but they didn't teach what happened to the King's mother. "Ah, well. I didn't bring you all the way out here to talk about some old washed up croan like me know did I?" She chuckled warmly.

"You brought me here?" Persephone lifted the tea strainer from her cup experimentally.

"Of course I did. Only way to see me is if I want you too." Rhea leaned back with a knowing eye. "What, did you think this was a prison?"

"N-no." Persephone lied.

"I'm free to do as I please. But. . . the world out there. . . it's not mine. It's a stranger to me. Though it still bears my toil and tears I know it no longer." She stared off wistfully into the milky sky. Persephone kept quiet letting her tea steep a little longer. When she took her first sip Rhea gave her, her attention once more. "He's the only one that doesn't visit."

Persephone nearly choked. "W-what?"

"Aidoneus." Rhea explained. "He's the only one that doesn't come when I invite him. I see Zeus at least once a year on my birthday. Poseidon comes just about every other month. But my first born?" The titan shrugged. "The last time I saw him. . ." Her voice faded. "Well, he's just as stubborn as his father. And he never came. So I stopped inviting him a few centuries ago." She set her tea down on the table. "I suppose I'm stubborn too."

Persephone wasn't sure what to do. She could tell Rhea wanted information on her son. But would that betray Hades? Would that start another fight? He clearly doesn't want a relationship with his mother. But what would be the harm in just telling her "hey, you raised a great boy." Except. . . you know for those 14 years he was trapped in your husbands stomach alone and terrified.

"You know. I was like you once." Rhea mimicked Persephone's standing posture, but took a long sip. "Bright and innocent. Just like you. Saw the world in vivid color. Hmm." She looked Persephone up and down. "You're Demeter's child right?" Her tone went from despondent to sour.

"Yes." Persephone nodded. Grateful to be talking about something she felt was safe—herself. "I'm an only child."

Rhea's eyes narrowed. "Yes, so Possy told me. Goddess of the Harvest. That's a good gig." Rhea took another sip of tea. "You know that used to be my wheelhouse. Though I did a lot more than that. It's. . . adorable all the little things you gods micromanage these days. I suppose everyone gets a participation trophy, huh?"

"I don't think I follow." Persephone straightened up.

"Well, in my day we didn't need things like seasons. We didn't need gods over such small things like. . . tides and flowers and…" Rhea took in a deep breath watching the insects flap their wings around Persephone. "Butterflies?" She contemplated the floating wings with a sny smirk. "How. . . cute."

Persephone was wrong. Rhea didn't want information about her son after all. Persephone closed her eyes wishing she could transport back to Hades kitchen. But all she saw was the angry look on his face and the feeling of her balled up fist by her side. "You don't understand what it's like to be on my side of other's expectations." She had yelled.

"I always thought butterflies were just the most delicate little insects. So pretty. And so fragile. What's their life span? A few weeks? They're great food for so many other animals being so low on the food chain." Rhea smiled. "It's a cute little animal symbol. It suits you." She took a long pause. "Unlike my son."

There it is. And yet she could only hear her son's voice say again and again: "Do you? Or are you just trying to prove it? Who are you trying to prove it too?"

"Do you? Or are you just trying to prove it? "

"Do you?"

She didn't say it to him then but she would now. "Yes! Yes I do love…" She cleared her throat. Persephone set her cup of tea down pointedly forgetting herself. "I do love my butterflies, Mother Rhea. Did you know butterflies can trace the smell of rotting corpses up to three miles away?"

Rhea blinked. "Oh? Well. Why on earth would you ever need to know such a thing as that?"

"You should know better than anyone, I would have thought." Persephone tilted her head. "Though perhaps, like you said you didn't have seasons in your world, but in mine, I own the beginning of life. Spring. It's rather beautiful, or at least your son thinks so. And in all life, there is death. A baby bird growing big and strong is not without the sacrifice of the worm, is it not? The cat survives to live another day and feed its young while that bird does not. The crocodile lays her eggs on the sustenance of the cat. The lion protects her cubs and teaches them the way to kill a crocodile to one day provide for their own pride. And man." Persephone chuckled and stepped towards Rhea. "They say man worships many deities in life, but in death he serves only one. . . but that's wrong." She stepped forward again and Rhea stepped back. "No. When men die they serve your firstborn son the King of the Underworld —that is true —and they serve me. For from their rotting corpse, their purpose on earth is realized, to give way to such small things like... flowers and butterflies."

Rhea appraised the small spring goddess again with new eyes. A smile toiled around her lips. "And this— this is why they call you Death Bringer. For where you bring life—"

"Death is there to balance the scales. No matter where you are on the food chain. It all goes right back into the soil." She made sure to bring it all back around.

Rhea sipped her tea again. "I like you, Death Bringer. You're more like myself than I thought."

Persephone blinked, not expecting that.

Rhea vanished the odd assortment of appliances and furniture until they were back to the barren rocky surface. "I've taken up enough of your time. Thank you for . . . standing . . . with an old woman like me. That's all."

Before Persephone could respond she felt the world turn upside down and by the time her stomach landed back down from her throat, she was sitting on Hades countertop.

"Kore?" Hades lifted his head out of the freezer. Ice had started to form around his limp hair. "Kore? Are you alright? I'm sorry. I-" He wrapped his arms around her tenderly.

"I figured it out." She placed a cooling finger on his frozen lips. "I'm the one who should apologize. I got so caught up trying to make people see me in a certain way that I lost sight of who I was. What I'm capable of. And that. . . it's not a matter of whether or not I belong by your side, but that we. . . together choose to hold each other's hand."

Persephone kissed his lips sweetly, pulling back before he could muddy the waters.

"Is something wrong?" Persephone never held back.

She squeezed his hands. "Your mother's very proud of you, you know."

* * *

Thank you for reading! Thank you for commenting it truly does make my day. :)

xoxo Goldie  
Don't forget to check out Solitaire and War and Peonies if you like these stories (and Work From Home if ya feelin' naughty).


End file.
